Theoretical Framework

The upcoming paragraphs outline various foundational works and key

authors that have shaped and supported the study's approach. The first
section discusses Bowen's (1988) spillover model and how its themes, later
adapted in Secret and Swanberg’s (2008) work-family life study, are applied to
the academic-family life context in this dissertation. The second section
explores different aspects of family-friendly campus environments and their
impact on student experiences and the operations of higher education
institutions, including the development of family-friendly policies, service
operations, and cultural practices within the academic setting.

Spillover Model

The Spillover Model, as outlined by Bowen (1988), serves as a

foundational framework for this study. This model is a path model that
examines how various roles a person holds can either create strain, provide
support, or interact with one another. In this research, nursing student
participants shared their insights on how their roles as parents and students
influence each other, offering a deeper understanding of how they balance
these roles to achieve academic success. The study's findings led to the
development of a conceptual model reflecting the challenges and strengths
identified by participants in relation to their academic achievements while
maintaining a family life. The research thoroughly investigated the interplay
between academic responsibilities and family dynamics within the
undergraduate nursing program, highlighting how student-parents navigate
their multiple roles. The resulting model could be valuable for campus leaders
aiming to improve the experiences of student-parents on campus.
To ensure consistent academic timing, only those participants who
identified as full-time nursing students were interviewed while their parents
were present. This approach allows for a direct correlation between study
hours and the time available for family responsibilities. Since nursing students
are in a caregiving field, understanding how family stress manifests in their
academic and campus life, as well as how student-parents manage these
challenges, can help researchers gain a deeper theoretical insight into the
interplay between family-related stress and academic coping strategies.

This passage explores the concept of "spillover" as it relates to the

transition from professional life to academic pursuits. The focus of spillover
research has traditionally been on the interplay between work and family life,
particularly examining how specific occupations impact this dynamic (Bowen
& Pittman, 1995; Pedersen et al., 2009). For instance, Johnson, Todd, and
Subramanian (2005) investigated the connection between domestic violence
and the work-family experiences of police officers. Pedersen Stevens et al.
(2004) proposed that work-family spillover is a two-way street, where work
influences family life and vice versa. This study focused on the reciprocal
nature of spillover among university students and their families, specifically
exploring how academic and family life impact each other. The researchers
used in-depth interviews with student-parents to understand how their children
and family life influenced their academic pursuits. The findings, which
revealed both academic-to-family and family-to-academic spillover, informed
the development of a model aimed at improving the lived experiences of
student-parents in nursing school. This passage discusses the need for
further research on the experiences of student-parents, particularly
undergraduate nursing students, and how their academic and family lives
intersect. While some research exists on the challenges faced by student-
parents in general, there is a lack of detailed studies focusing on
undergraduate nursing students and their specific strategies for balancing
their lives. The authors propose a conceptual model, explained in Chapter 5,
to better understand this complex relationship. They argue that more empirical
evidence is crucial to inform higher education institutions on how to create
more supportive learning environments for student-parents, addressing
potential conflicts between their academic and family responsibilities.

Research suggests that women experience a greater impact of work-

related issues on their family life compared to men. This effect, known as
work-to-family spillover, tends to lessen as children enter adolescence
(Bowen & Pittman, 1995; Higgins, Duxbury, & Lee, 1994; Monna & Gauthier,
2008). Notably, gender, low socioeconomic status, and single parenthood are
significant factors contributing to work-family spillover. This research focused
on the impact of academic life on family life, but it didn't adequately explore
potential gender differences. The study only included one male participant,
limiting the ability to draw conclusions about gender-specific experiences.
While the researchers were open to analyzing data separately for male and
female students if gender came up naturally in the interviews, they
intentionally avoided directly addressing gender or other demographic factors
during the discussions. This decision was made to allow participants to freely
share their perspectives without feeling pressured or guided by the
researchers. As a result, gender issues were not explicitly discussed in the
study's findings. Among the 21 student-parents in the study, six were single
parents. These individuals spontaneously discussed the challenges of work-
life balance and spillover effects during their interviews, even without
prompting from the researcher. Further analysis in Chapters 4 and 5 will
demonstrate that student-parents with younger children experience more
significant spillover issues. This aligns with existing research highlighting the
importance of support systems in mitigating spillover (Homes, 2005; Martin &
Kipling, 2006; Montgomery, 2009; Lester & Sallee, 2009; Rushford, 2008; van
Rhijn, Smit-Quosai, & Lero, 2011).
 The existing research on the experiences of children whose parents are
pursuing higher education is extremely limited. While studies on working
parents suggest that younger children and larger families can contribute to
work-family conflict (Craig & Sawrikar, 2008; Higgins et al., 1994), the focus of
these studies is primarily on the parents' perspective, not the children's. There
is a notable gap in understanding how children navigate the challenges of
having a parent in higher education. According to Pedersen Stevens et al.
(2004), parenting can create significant challenges for individuals by
increasing demands in the family sphere, potentially leading to conflict
between work and family life when these demands are difficult to manage.
This qualitative study explores whether similar challenges exist for student-
parents, specifically in the context of academic and family life. Research
conducted at De Montfort University in Leicester revealed that a substantial
portion of students, approximately one quarter, fail or leave their courses due
to family responsibilities and difficulties in securing childcare. This highlights
the emotional and financial strain faced by student-parents (Dean, 2010).

Family-Friendly Campus Organization

Research on family-friendly organizations often draws upon open systems

organization theory, as proposed by Secret and Swanberg (2008), to
understand how organizations can address gender roles and adapt to
employee needs. While existing research primarily focuses on faculty and
staff who are parents, with a focus on departmental support through ad hoc
committees or formal policies (Dow, 2008), the needs of student-parents have
received less attention. Support for student-parents is often subsumed within
broader categories like "non-traditional" or "mature" students (Rushford, 2008;
van Rhijn et al., 2011) or within gender studies literature. A German study by
Drager and Soellner (2009) highlights the positive impact of childcare on
mothers' ability to study, reducing study time and interruptions.
A study by Premeaux, Adkins, and Mossholder (2007) suggested that
family-friendly workplace policies can help reduce conflicts between work and
family life. However, Rothausen, Gonzalez, Clarke, and O’Dell (1998) pointed
out a potential drawback: these policies could lead to resentment among
employees without children. Research consistently highlights the significant
stress experienced by adult women due to the demands of balancing family
and work responsibilities (Bay, 1999; Chartrand, 1990; Dill & Henley, 1998;
Home, 1997; Home, 1998; Kirk & Dorfman, 1983). Similarly, multiple studies
indicate that female students face emotional and physical strain from the
competing pressures of family and academic life (Coser, 1974; Edwards,
1993; Gouthro, 2005; Rushford, 2008). This stress is particularly pronounced
for women with young children, as they often shoulder a heavier burden
(Home, 1997; Home, 1998; Zosky, White, Unger, & Mills, 2004).
Consequently, the combined pressures of work, school, and family
responsibilities significantly increase the risk of female students dropping out
of academia. While the experiences of male student-parents are
understudied, historical gender roles have traditionally placed primary
childcare responsibilities on women (Hoschild & Machung, 1989). This
historical context explains why the majority of research on student-parents
focuses on the challenges faced by women in juggling multiple roles.
Several studies have highlighted the challenges faced by faculty members
with dependent children in academia. Quinn, Yen, Risken, and Lange (2007)
examined family-friendly cultural changes, finding them limited within the
academic work-family sphere. Colbeck and Drago (2005) further emphasized
the unsupportive messages these faculty members receive, questioning the
commitment of higher education leaders to supporting parent-students. Bu
and Mckeen (2001) added to this discussion by exploring the difficulties faced
by Chinese and Canadian women in balancing family with career
responsibilities, underscoring the need for family-friendly organizational
initiatives.
Bowen's Spillover Model (1988), adapted to the context of academic-
family life and a family-friendly campus environment, provided a theoretical
framework for this study. The model highlights how family-friendly aspects of
campus operations, policies, and services in the nursing school influence
students' perceptions of the interplay between their academic and family lives.

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