Multiple roles of middle-generation caregivers: contextual effects and psychological mechanisms.
Caregiver role experiences of 106 women in the context of their other role experiences as mother and wife were investigated. The study examined role-specific stressors as predictors of well-being (physical health, positive and negative affect), and investigated role-specific feelings of adequacy as a mediator between stress in a given role and well-being. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that different patterns of role stress were important in explaining different indices of well-being, and that the mother and wife roles contributed unique variance beyond the caregiver role. Path analyses indicated that feelings of adequacy served as a mediator in the role-specific stress process, especially that involving the caregiver and wife roles and the affective indices of well-being. This study suggests the importance of examining caregivers' role experiences in the context of their other family roles and identifies a psychological mechanism through which chronic role stress is related to well-being.
Franks
M M
MM
Department of Psychology, Kent State University.
Stephens
M A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D012380:Role; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological