Sponsor
This research was conducted as part of the Work, Family & Health Network (www.WorkFamilyHealthNetwork.org), which is funded by a cooperative agreement through the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grants # U01HD051217, U01HD051218, U01HD051256, U01HD051276), National Institute on Aging (Grant # U01AG027669), Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Grants # U01OH008788, U01HD059773). Grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (Grant #R01HL107240), William T. Grant Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families have provided additional funding.
Published In
RTI Method Report series
Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
2013
Subjects
Work-life balance -- Research, Work environment -- Psychological aspects, Work and family, Work -- Health aspects -- Research
Abstract
Recognizing a need for rigorous, experimental research to support the efforts of workplaces and policymakers in improving the health and wellbeing of employees and their families, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formed the Work, Family & Health Network (WFHN). The WFHN is implementing an innovative multisite study with a rigorous experimental design (adaptive randomization, control groups), comprehensive multilevel measures, a novel and theoretically based intervention targeting the psychosocial work environment, and translational activities. This paper describes challenges and benefits of designing a multilevel and transdisciplinary research network that includes an effectiveness study to assess intervention effects on employees, families, and managers; a daily diary study to examine effects on family functioning and daily stress; a process study to understand intervention implementation; and translational research to understand and inform diffusion of innovation. Challenges were both conceptual and logistical, spanning all aspects of study design and implementation. In dealing with these challenges, however, the WFHN developed innovative, transdisciplinary, multi-method approaches to conducting workplace research that will benefit both the research and business communities.
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/10844
Citation Details
Bray, J. W., Kelly, E. L., Hammer, L. B., Almeida D. M., Dearing, J. W., King. R. B., & Buxton, O. M. (2013). An integrative, multilevel, and transdisciplinary research approach to challenges of work, family, and health. RTI Press publication No. MR-0024-1303. Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI Press. Retrieved from http://www.rti.org/rtipress
Description
This report is reproduced with the kind permission of the RTI Press. This and other materials may be found at www.rti.org.