Demographic Moderators in the Work–Family Conflict and Cognitive Bandwidth Relationship: Evidence from Dual-Career Married Adults in Pakistan

Abstract

This study investigates how the relationship between work-family conflict (WFC) and cognitive bandwidth (CB) is moderated by gender, family system, employment type, years of marriage, and number of children among dual-career married adults in Pakistan.
Cognitive bandwidth is the limited mental capacity available to manage daily demands. In dual-career households, especially in collectivist societies like Pakistan, family dynamics can influence how WFC affects mental resources. However, limited research addresses these effects contextually. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, 400 married dual-career individuals were surveyed through purposive sampling. Standardized tools included the WFC Scale (Haslam et al., 2015) and a newly developed cognitive bandwidth scale. Demographic data were also collected. OLS regression with interaction terms tested moderation effects. Family system and number of children significantly moderated the WFC-CB relationship. Nuclear families and more children intensified the negative impact. Gender, employment type, and years of marriage were not significant. Culturally tailored workplace policies should support nuclear families with caregiving loads to preserve cognitive capacity and reduce burnout.