ADHD and Work–Life Spillover: An Empirical Study of How Workplace Demands Influence Personal Relationships and Well-Being

Abstract

Design/methodology/approach- 420 working adult Indians were surveyed cross-sectionally, 84 (20.0) met the descriptive ADHD-group requirement with an ASRS-5 score of 14 or above on the survey. Workplace demands, ADHD-related functioning (ASRS-5), emotional dysregulation (DERS-16), work-life spillover, relationship quality, well-being (WH-5) and perceived stress (PSS-10) were the established tools to assess organizational functioning. Hierarchical multiple regression, moderation analysis and bootstrapped moderated mediation analysis were used to test hypothesis using PROCESS. Results- The workplace needs were positively correlated with work-life spillover (8.53, p =.001). Workplace-demands X ASRS-5 interaction (=.17, p =.001) and place of work-demands X DERS-16 interaction (=.21, p <.001) were significant. Spillover had a negative correlation with relationship quality (= -.46, p <.001) and well-being (= -.49, p <.001) and a positive correlation with the perceived stress (=.52, p <.001). The bootstrapped indirect effects were significant in all three results, and the moderators’ indices were significant in both moderators. Findings – Workplace demands had a positive relationship with work-life spillover (W =.51, p = -.001) in the results. The workplace-demands times ASRS-5 point of contact (=.17, p =.001) and the workplace-demands times DERS-16 (=.21, p =.001) was significant. Relationship quality (β = -.46, p <.001) and well-being (β = -.49, p <.001) were negatively related to spillover, and perceived stress was positively (β =.52, p <.001) related to spillover. All three outcomes had significant bootstrapped indirect effects and significant indices of moderated mediation with both moderators. Practical implications - The results guide job design, workload anticipations and facilitation of workers whose attentional and emotional control at work is burdensome to maintain. Originality/value - The research not only investigates the ADHD issue in the workplace but the cross-domain pathway developed, taking ADHD as a dimensional and demonstrates how the impact of the condition diffuses out of work in personal life.