Presentation held by Barbara Barbieri (UNICA) during the online event "How COVID-19 impacted on gender equality in academia", organised by SUPERA on 9 June 2021. More info about the event are available here: https://www.superaproject.eu/covid-19-impact-on-gender-equality-in-academia-on-9-06-an-online-event-to-present-the-surveys-results/

1. Impact of COVID-19 on
gender equality in research
and academia

2. Work-Family Interface, stress and Academic
productivity during the Covid-19 health
emergency
University of Cagliari
UniCA Results Presentation

3. Introduction
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is altering
dynamics in academia, and people juggling remote work and
domestic demands – including childcare – have felt impacts on
their productivity (Staniscuaski et al., 2021).
Literature suggests that gender and parenthood are associated
with scientific productivity (Bianchi et al., 2012; Gupta et al., 2005;
Jolly et al., 2014).

4. To better understand the impact of the pandemic on academic
careers, through the survey we tried to explore whether certain
psychological dimensions could contributed to explaining scientific
productivity, satisfaction with scientific productivity and stress
during the pandemic.
In addition, we set out to explore the role of the work-family
interface, both in terms of spillover and enrichment, in influencing
productivity, satisfaction with one's productivity and stress.
Finally, we analyzed the possible differences in the dimensions
mentioned above in relation to gender, academic position and the
presence / absence of children.
Aims

5. 40%
22%
13%
10%
15%
Associated Professor
Full Professor
Researchers hired on temporary
contracts (A)
Researchers hired on temporary
contracts (B)
Researchers hired with permanent
contracts
50%
50%
Female
Male
Sample
The survey was administered between
September and October 2020, with 243
answers.
The response rate was approximately 25%.
The sample is made up of men and women
aged 30 to 70 years, with following Academic
position: Full Professors, Associate
Professors or Researchers
Respondents are childless (44%), or they
have 1 child (27%), 2 children (22%), 3+
(7%)
44%
27%
22%
7%
No child
One child
Two children
Three children and
more

6. Scales: psychological dimensions
Perceived Stress Scale -PSS 10
(Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R., 1983; Mondo, M., Sechi, C., & Cabras, C., 2019)
• Positive Perceived Stress (pss_POS)
• Negative Perceived Stress (pss_NEG)
Work-Family Interface Scale (Kinnunen, U., Feldt, T., Geurts, S., & Pulkkinen, L.,2006; De Simone et al., 2018)
• negative work-to-family spillover (NEG_WF)
• negative family-to-work spillover (NEG_FW)
• positive work-to-family spillover (POS_WF)
• positive family-to-work spillover (POS_FW)
Workload (Spector PE, Jex SM, 1998)
Perceived Organizational Support (Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D., 1986; Battistelli,
A., & Mariani, M. G., 2011)
Work Engagement Scale - UWES-9 (Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Salanova, M., 2006; Simbula et al.,
2013)
• Vigor
• Dedication
• Absorption
Workplace Social Isolation (Marshall, G. W., Michaels, C. E., & Mulki, J. P., 2007)
• Isol_Colleagues
• Isol_Company

7. Statistical Analysis
Correlations
To verify associations between all
dimensions we used Pearson's correlation.
The results of the correlation analysis show
significant relationships between almost all
measured dimensions (Table 1).
Regression model
In order to test the role of the different
dimensions of the work-family interface,
workload and perceived organizational
support on positive and negative
perceived stress, productivity and
productivity satisfaction, four
regressions were conducted.
The regression models considered as
dependent variables respectively:
positive stress, negative stress, scientific
productivity and satisfaction productivity;
while as independent variables they
have been inserted in two blocks:
workload and perceived organizational
support, the four work-family Interface
dimensions.
Three models were significant, instead
the regression model of the scientific
productivity variable did not show
significant results.
Multivariate analysis
Also, we performed the multivariate analysis
of variance (MANOVA) to determine if there
were significant differences between gender,
academic position, presence/absence of
children, scientific productivity and productivity
satisfaction on the variables studied. The
multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)
had age as a covariate.

8. Correlations

9. Negative influence of work on family life
increase with the rising of
perception of negative stress and
workload
decrease with the rising of
perception of organizational support
Negative influence that family life brings
to work
increase with the rising of
the perceived negative stress, isolation
from colleagues and the company and
the workload
decrease with the rising of
the perceived positive stress, work
engagement in its three sub-dimensions
(vigor, dedication, absorption), and
perceived organizational support
Enrichment that work brings to the family
increase with the rising of
the perceived positive stress, the three
sub-dimensions of Work Engagement
(vigor, dedication, absorption) and
perceived organizational support
decrease with the rising of
perception of negative stress, isolation
from both colleagues and the company
and workload
Enrichment from family to work
increase with the rising of
the three sub-dimensions of Work
engagement (vigor, dedication,
absorption) and perceived organizational
support
decrease with the rising of
isolation from colleagues and companies
and workload
Correlations

10. POSWF POSITIVE STRESS
Specifically, the results of the first regression
show that only the positive work-to-family
spillover is predictive of the positive perceived
stress ( =.859).
POSWF
NEGWF
NEGATIVE STRESS
AGE
POSWF
NEGWF
PRODUCTIVITY SATISFACTION
The results of the second regression
show three predictors with a significant
influence on the negative perceived
stress: age ( =-.112), positive work-to-
family spillover ( =-.999), negative
work-to-family spillover ( =.899)
Finally, there are two predictors
for the productivity satisfaction
dimension: positive work-to-
family spillover ( =.396) and
negative family-to-work
spillover ( =-.336)
Regression Model

11. We performed the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to determine if
there were significant differences between:
• gender,
• academic position,
• presence/absence of children,
• scientific productivity
• productivity satisfaction on the variables studied.
The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) use age as a covariate.
The following results show a significant effect regarding gender, academic
position, presence/absence of children, productivity satisfaction.
No significant effect was found on scientific productivity.
Multivariate analysis (MANOVA):

12. Fig. 5 Gender significant effect on Negative
Perceived Stress.
Multivariate analysis (MANOVA):
Gender
Fig. 6 Gender significant effect on Perceived
Organizational Support

13. Fig. 7 Academic Position significant effect
on Negative Family-to-Work Spillover
Multivariate analysis (MANOVA):
Academic Position
Fig. 8 Academic Position significant effect on
Workload
Ass. Full RTDA RTDB Researcher
Prof. Prof
Ass. Full RTDA RTDB Researcher
Prof. Prof

14. Fig. 9 Presence/absence of children has
significant effect on the Negative Work-to-
Family Spillover
Multivariate analysis (MANOVA):
Presence/absence of children

15. Fig. 10 Productivity Satisfaction has
significant effect on the Positive Work-to-
Family Spillover
Multivariate analysis (MANOVA):
Fig. 11 Productivity Satisfaction has significant
effect on the Negative Family-to-Work Spillover
Multivariate analysis (MANOVA):
Productivity satisfaction

16. Fig. 12 Productivity Satisfaction has significant
effect on Positive Perceived Stress
Multivariate analysis (MANOVA):
Productivity satisfaction
Fig. 13 Productivity Satisfaction has
significant effect on Perceived
Organizational Support

17. • Women feel more negative stress, even though at the same time they feel more supported by their
own organization.
• Full professors and associate professors are those who perceive the most workload and who perceive
a conflict between the family and work domains with the family that negatively interfere with work.
• Parents than non-parents experience more negative stress, but they feel more supported by the
organization, and experience more negative work-to-family and family-to-work spillover.
• People who are more satisfied with their scientific productivity than those less satisfied experienced
more positive work-to-family and family-to-work spillover, more positive stress and feel more
supported by the organization, while those less satisfied than those more
• Positive stress is more associated with positive work-to-family spillover.
• Negative stress is more associated with age (with increasing age, negative stress decreases),
positive and negative work-to-family spillover.
• Satisfaction with scientific productivity is mostly associated with a positive work-to-family spillover and
negative family-to-work spillover.
• Scientific productivity is not explained by the dimensions analyzed in this study.
Summary

18. The SUPERA partners

19. SUPERA project has received funding from the European
Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
under the grant agreement No. 787829.
www.superaproject.eu
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