Doing it together: Qualitative study on barriers and facilitators to dyadic internet interventions for interrole conflict

Abstract

Some psychosocial challenges are inherently relational and may be addressed more effectively with dyadic rather than individual interventions. Although uptake and engagement of internet interventions have been widely studied, existing evidence focuses on individually oriented programmes, leaving their potential for dyadic phenomena—such as work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC)—largely unexplored. To identify barriers and facilitators specific to a dyadic internet intervention aimed at reducing interrole conflict, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 heterosexual, dual-earner couples (N = 40). Thematic analysis revealed five key themes related to potential participation in such an intervention. Motivation for uptake was tied to recognized need, curiosity, and belief in efficacy. Involving both partners promised relational benefits yet introduced scheduling difficulties, highlighting the challenge of “doing it together.” Participants felt ambivalent about disclosing personal matters online, with subtle gendered differences in willingness to share. They also emphasized the importance of flexible, engaging, and personalized pedagogical design. Finally, participants viewed the online format ambivalently—while time constraints were often raised, they were frequently mitigated by the flexibility of access. These findings suggest that effective dyadic internet interventions for WFC/FWC must balance individual and joint activities, incorporate gender-sensitive communication pathways, and tailor content to different couple profiles (e.g., with or without children). Such efforts may enhance engagement and implementation feasibility.