Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, Vol 50, Issue 1 P9-17, Copyright © 1995 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Spillover between daughters' roles as caregiver and wife: interference or enhancement?

MAP Stephens and MM Franks
Department of Psychology, Kent State University.

This research examined how the roles of caregiver and wife affect one another, both positively and negatively, and how such "spillover" effects are related to caregivers' well-being. Spillover was assessed both from the perspective of 125 adult daughter caregivers and their husbands. Husbands reported less negative spillover and more positive spillover from the caregiver role to the wife role than did caregivers. Caregivers reported less positive spillover and more negative spillover from their parent-care role to their wife role than in the opposite direction (wife role to caregiver role). After controlling for caregivers' dispositional optimism, positive and negative spillover were related to several aspects of caregivers' well-being (depression, positive affect, and marital satisfaction), but not to physical health. Findings extend research on number and types of women's roles by suggesting that caregivers' well-being also is influenced by the ways their roles interfere with or enhance each other.

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