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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 12, No. 2
Publication Date: February 25, 2025
DOI:10.14738/assrj.122.18277.
Abd Halim, S. N., Mohamad Razali, N. H., Kamaruddin, F. E., Rahmat, A. M., Muda, M. H. N., & Zainodin, A. I. (2025). Modeling Work- Family Conflict Among Workforces Engaged in Long Distance Relationship: Moderated by Emotional Quotient. Advances in Social
Sciences Research Journal, 12(2). 207-213.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Modeling Work-Family Conflict Among Workforces Engaged in
Long Distance Relationship: Moderated by Emotional Quotient
Abd Halim, Siti Noorhaslina
Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM Johor Branch
Mohamad Razali, Nur Hanisah
Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM Johor Branch
Kamaruddin, Faten Elina
Faculty of Computing, Informatics and Mathematics,
UiTM Johor Branch
Rahmat, Ainol Mardhiyah
Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM Johor Branch
Muda, Muhammad Haris Naqiuddin
Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM Johor Branch
Zainodin, Amir Imran
Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM Johor Branch
ABSTRACT
Around the globe, evidence shows the growing number of married couples are
living separately from one another. They are married to each other but stay apart
for work reasons and meet at least once a week. In Malaysia, there are over 500,000
spouses who live separately due to employment demands. At present the country’s
evidence is staggering records of declines in marriages and rising divorce cases in
2022, triggering curiosity about whether being in a long-distance relationship leads
to work-family conflict. Long-distance relationships come with their unique
challenges, and loneliness is one of the triggering factors. Present theories relevant
to work-family conflict are still insufficient to explain further long-distance
relationships. To the fact that present studies have shown that some long-distance
marriages are as not as successful as live-together marriages, a study of whether
emotional quotient moderates the relationship between loneliness and work- family conflict using a quantitative approach is warranted for investigation. This
research output will provide in-depth knowledge on how the ability to understand,
use, and manage one's emotions will moderate the relationship between loneliness
and work-family conflict. The study is aligned with Malaysia MADANI core values of
‘Prosperity’ and Peace in Islam that encourage dual-earner families towards
tranquility and peaceful living without work-family conflict.
Keywords: Loneliness, Emotional Quotient, Long Distance Relationship, Work-Family- Conflict.
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Abd Halim, S. N., Mohamad Razali, N. H., Kamaruddin, F. E., Rahmat, A. M., Muda, M. H. N., & Zainodin, A. I. (2025). Modeling Work-Family Conflict
Among Workforces Engaged in Long Distance Relationship: Moderated by Emotional Quotient. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 12(2).
207-213.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.122.18277
increases the number of families with both husband and wife working, namely dual-earner
families or dual-income families (Zaimah et al., 2013).
A survey by the Fifth Malaysian Population and Family Survey (KPKM, 2014) found that 6.9
percent of married working women live apart from their husbands and that 32.6 percent of
them meet their husbands four times a month while 24.8 percent did so twice or three times a
month. Also, 16.1 percent meet their husbands once a month, 13.7 percent once in a few
months, and about 2.6 percent of couples only meet once a year. Thus, through this percentage,
it can be concluded that with less time spent together, there is potentially greater pressure
among commuting couples to maintain their relationships leading to frustration and
disappointment. Therefore, the very nature of long-distance relationships is often the reason
why couples find it difficult to sustain their marriages. (Sawai et al., 2023).
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) recorded a decline in marriages and a
simultaneous increase in divorces within the country in 2022. The statement was also
supported by the chief statistician, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin, who said the number of
marriages among the country's population recorded a decrease of 0.5 percent, or 214,824 in
2022 compared to the preceding year, which was 215,973. In contrast to the trends in
marriages, the report also revealed an increase in divorce rates, surging to 43.1 percent,
reaching 62,890 in 2022 from 43,936 compared to the previous year (New Straits Times, 2023).
This is due to the possibility that any poor tactics could create a psychological breakdown in
the marriage. Such couples continue to maintain their long-distance relationship for a variety
of reasons other than their job. Hence, inappropriate handling of this circumstance may result
in an unwelcome divorce (Sawai et al., 2023).
Reflecting to the concept of MADANI in the holy Qur’an Malaysia Madani, a new political slogan
under the new premiership, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that comprises six core values namely
Sustainability, Innovation, Respect, Trust, Prosperity, Care, and Compassion guides the new
framework of governance as it ensures fair, just and compassion to all. ‘Prosperity’ in the
religion of Islam, literally means ‘Peace’, thus encouraging dual-earner families towards
tranquility and peaceful living without work-family conflict. The statements also aligned with
(Aziz, 2023) view of prosperity as far more than wealth which it is when the citizens are entitled
to live with freedom. Prosperity is reinforced by an all-encompassing society, with a strong
social contract that protects the fundamental liberties and security of every citizen. Hence,
Malaysian prosperity is progressive where community and individual growth and economic
rise can take place concurrently without putting others’ interests at stake.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia stated the increase in the number of women in the formal
employment sector escalated from 44.5% in 1982 to 55.3% in 2018. There has been an increase
in the number of families with both husband and wife working, namely dual-earner families or
dual-income families. Malaysia nowadays has an increased number of dual-earner families
from 7,421.8 people in 2010 to 8410.1 people in 2013. Moreover, public sector employees are
expected to have different levels of work-family conflict experience concerning their
demographic characteristics such as gender, age, education level, and marital status when
considering the different perception of work-family conflict (Abdullah, 2018). Therefore, the
research on married employees that face work-family conflicts is prominent in both the West