Self-characterizations of adult female informal caregivers: gender identity and the bearing of burden.
Gender identity is a powerful aspect of self that shapes values, attitudes, and conduct. Family caregivers, particularly women, tend to forgo institutionalization of care recipients even when care demands are overwhelming. The reluctance of women to relinquish care raises questions about the relationship between gender identity and the bearing of burden. To illuminate the relationship between gender and burden, 36 adult women caring for highly dependent adults were asked to describe the nature of "self"; that is, how they characterized themselves as a person. Results were tabulated and critically examined in relation to stereotypical gender traits, as well as social and political processes that create gender dichotomies. Overall, self-characterizations indicated caregivers had internalized stereotypical female gender traits that support and facilitate the enduring of burden.
Kramer
Maeona K
MK
College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112-5880, USA. mae.kramer@nurs.utah.edu
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D005783:Gender Identity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D033302:Postmodernism; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D012660:Semantics; D012951:Socialization; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013561:Symbolism; D014589:Utah; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*