A meta-analysis of the influence of work connectivity behavior after-hours on employees: The mediating role of work autonomy and psychological detachment
Hu Li · Jianguo Li · Lei Zeng · Lingjie Su
Advances in Psychological Science · 2025
What the research tells us
After-hours work connectivity may be associated with both greater autonomy and less detachment. The correlation-based model estimated indirect paths through autonomy of about .05 for both work–family balance and task performance; paths through detachment were −.18 and −.03 respectively. These are statistical pathways pointing in different directions.
Scope & interpretation
Correlation-based mediation cannot establish temporal order or causality. Main-model RMSEA=.14 indicates limited fit; mixed designs, report overlap and possible nonlinearity also matter. Findings do not establish that after-hours connectivity is invariably beneficial or harmful.
Study at a glance
- POPULATION & SAMPLE
- 71 sources and 283 effects: 68 original-study reports plus three previous meta-analyses, not 71 independent primary studies. Samples differed by outcome.
- EXPOSURE / INTERVENTION / SUBJECT
- Reliability-corrected correlations and meta-analytic structural-equation models of connectivity, autonomy and detachment.
- OUTCOMES
- Work–family balance, task performance and two indirect pathways; not randomized intervention effects.
- TIME FRAME
- Search through February 2024; original designs and observation windows varied.
Editorial & review record
Record for v1.0 · Updated
Editorial responsibility: TAP Editorial Team
Scientific review
Not yet scientifically reviewed
Editorial note
Under the editorial responsibility of the TAP Editorial Team, this publication used AI assistance for content organization and editing. Scientific review is recorded separately on this page.
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How responsibilities and review are recorded ↗Scope of this reading note
Chinese full-text search, coding, structural modelling, Tables 4–7 and limitations. Model matrices, report overlap and the peer-review attachment require further examination.
- Study funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China 72072086.
- Competing interests
- The competing-interest statement has not been verified.
Project support
Founded and supported by Resilio.
Revision history
- · v1.0
Added the two connectivity pathways, source composition and model-fit limitations.