STABILIZING FLIGHT? : REGULARIZING WORK AND FAMILY AMONG RSAF PILOTS

Abstract

The primary focus of this thesis is upon the role conflicts that arise from the mutual incompatibility between work and family demands. In particular, the situation of the RSAF (Republic of Singapore Air Force) pilots is highlighted. Being military personnel, the conflicts between the pilots' work and family demands are more severe as they lack the flexibility in their job scope and the control over their own time. This clearly can be disabling, especially during times of crisis. Consequently, it is predicted that the stress arising from these role conflicts would have detrimental effects on the level of the couple's marital satisfaction. However, surprisingly, little dissatisfaction was found. It was consequently noted that the couples are able to cushion the impact of stress on the level of marital satisfaction by mobilizing various resources and altering their perceptions of the stress. The increasing professionalism of the RSAF also played a crucial part in the reduction of stress.