Structural Relationship Analysis of Traditional Gender Role Attitudes and Work-Family Conflict Using ISSP Data: Focusing on the Mediating Effects of Perceived Fairness in Household Labor Division and Inclusiveness of Parenting Styles

This study examines the relationship between traditional gender role attitudes and work–family conflict from a cross-cultural perspective, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of perceived fairness in the division of housework and parenting inclusiveness. Using multinational data from the 2022 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), the study analyzes respondents from multiple countries and regions and tests the hypothesized relationships through structural equation modeling. The results indicate that traditional gender role attitudes significantly and negatively predict both perceived fairness in housework division and parenting inclusiveness, while significantly and positively predicting work–family conflict. Perceived fairness in housework division is significantly negatively associated with work–family conflict, whereas parenting inclusiveness shows a significant positive association with work–family conflict. Mediation analyses further reveal that traditional gender role attitudes indirectly exacerbate work–family conflict by reducing perceived fairness in housework division, while simultaneously exerting a significant negative indirect effect through decreased parenting inclusiveness. These findings underscore the importance of inclusive parenting practices in shaping individuals’ work–family experiences within cross-cultural contexts.