This study analyzes longitudinal survey data on dual-earner couples (N= 884) to assess individual- and couple-level effects of caregiving on changes in well-being. The authors draw on a life course, role context, and strategic selection theoretical framework to examine positive and negative effects of individuals' own caregiving transitions and their having a spouse engaged in caregiving on well-being. The authors find that (a) caregiving is associated with well-being declines for dual-earner women and well-being increases for dual-earner men; (b) women caregivers with flexible work arrangements report higher levels of well-being than caregivers without such arrangements, although the size of this effect is small; and (c) having a spouse involved in caregiving affects employee well-being, but in different ways for women and men.
Allen, K. R., Blieszner, R., & Roberto, K. A. (2000). Families in the middle and later years: A review and critique of research in the 1990s. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62, 911-926.
2.
Atienza, A. A., & Stephens, M. P. (2000). Social interactions at work and the well-being of daughters involved in parent care. The Journal of Applied Gerontology, 19, 243-263.
3.
Barnett, R. C., Marshall, N. L., & Singer, J. D. (1992). Job experiences over time, multiple roles, and women's mental health: A longitudinal study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 634-644.
4.
Becker, P. E., & Moen, P. (1999). Scaling back: Dual-earner couples' work-family strategies. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 995-1007.
5.
Bolger, N., DeLongis, A., Kessler, R. C., & Wethington, E. (1989). The contagion of stress across multiple roles. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 51, 175-183.
6.
Cancian, F. M., & Oliker, S. J. (2000). Caring and gender. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
7.
Dentinger, E., & Clarkberg, M. (2002). Informal caregiving and retirement timing among men and women. Journal of Family Issues, 23, 857-878.
8.
Elder, G. H., Jr., George, L. K., & Shanahan, M. J. (1996). Psychosocial stress over the life course. In H. B. Kaplan (Eds.), Psychosocial stress: Perspectives on structure, theory, life course, and methods (pp. 247-291). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
9.
Ettner, S. L. (1995). The opportunity costs of elder care. The Journal of Human Resources, 31(1), 189-205.
10.
Fredriksen, K. (1996). Gender differences in employment and the formal care of adults. Journal of Women and Aging, 8, 35-53.
11.
Gerstel, N., & Gallagher, S. (1994). Caring for kith and kin: Gender, employment, and the privatization of care. Social Problems, 41, 519-539.
12.
Glass, J. L.,& Estes, S. B. (1997). The family responsive workplace. Annual Review of Sociology, 23, 289-313.
13.
Goodstein, J. (1995). Employer involvement in eldercare: An organizational adaptation perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 1657-1671.
14.
Hill, J. E., Hawkins, A. J., Ferris, M., & Weitzman, M. (2001). Finding an extra day a week: The positive influence of perceived job flexibility on work and family balance. Family Relations, 50, 49-58.
15.
Lachman, M. E., & Weaver, S. L. (1998). Sociodemographic variations in the sense of control by domain: Findings from the MacArthur studies of midlife. Psychology and Aging, 13, 553-562.
16.
Lewis, J. (2001). Legitimizing care work and the issue of gender equality. In M. Daly (Ed.), Care work: The quest for security(pp. 57-75). Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office.
17.
Liebig, P. S. (1993). Factors affecting the development of employer-sponsored eldercare programs: Implications for employed caregivers. Journal of Women and Aging, 5, 59-78.
18.
Marks, N. F. (1998). Does it hurt to care? Caregiving, work-family conflict, and midlife well-being. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 951-966.
19.
Marks, S. R. (1977). Multiple roles and role strain: Some notes on human energy, time, and commitment. American Sociological Review, 42, 921-936.
20.
Marks, S. R., & MacDermid, S. M. (1996). Multiple roles and the self: A theory of role balance. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58, 417-432.
21.
Moen, P. (2001). The gendered life course. In R. H. Binstock & L. K. George (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences(5th ed., pp. 179-196). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
22.
Moen, P., & Chermack, K. (2005). Gender disparities in health careers: Cycles of control. Journal of Gerontology, 60 B, 99-108
23.
Moen, P., Dempster-McClain, D., & Williams, R. M., Jr. (1989). Social integration and longevity: An event history analysis of women's roles and resilience. American Sociological Review, 54, 635-647.
24.
Moen, P., Dempster-McClain, D., & Williams, R. M., Jr. (1992). Successful aging: A life-course perspective on women's multiple roles and health. American Journal of Sociology, 97, 1612-1638.
25.
Moen, P., & Roehling, P. (2005). The career mystique: Cracks in the American dream. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
26.
Moen, P., & Spencer, D. (2006). Strategic selection in the third age. In R. H. Binstock & L. K. George (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences(pp. 127-144). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.
27.
Moen, P., & Wethington, E. (1992). The concept of family adaptive strategies. Annual Review of Sociology, 18, 233-251.
28.
Moen, P., & Wethington. E. (1999). Midlife development in a life course context. In S. L. Willis & J. D. Reid (Eds.), Life in the middle(pp. 3-23). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
29.
Mroczek, D. K., & Kolarz, C. M. (1998). The effect of age on positive and negative affect: A developmental perspective on happiness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1333-1349.
30.
Pavalko, E. K., & Smith, B. (1999). The rhythm of work: Health effects of women's work dynamics. Social Forces, 77, 1141-1162.
31.
Pavalko, E. K., & Woodbury, S. (2000). Social roles as process: Caregiving careers and women's health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 41, 91-105.
32.
Pearlin, L. I., & Schooler, C. (1978). The structure of coping. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 19, 2-21.
33.
Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 719-727.
34.
Scharlach, A. E. (1994). Caregiving and employment: Competing or complementary roles?The Gerontologist, 34, 378-385.
35.
Singleton, J. (2000). Women caring for elderly family members: Shaping non-traditional work and family initiatives. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 31, 367-375.
36.
Still, M., & Strang, D. (2003). Institutionalizing family-friendly policies. In P. Moen (Ed.), It's about time: Couples and careers(pp. 288-309). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
37.
Stone, R., Cafferata, G. L., & Sangl, J. (1987). Caregivers of the frail elderly: A national profile. The Gerontologist, 27, 616-626.
38.
Westman, M., & Vinokur, A. D. (1998). Unraveling the relationship of distress levels within couples: Common stressors, empathic reactions, or crossover via social interaction?Human Relations, 51, 137-156.
39.
Wethington, E., Moen, P., Glasgow, N., & Pillemer, K. (2000). Multiple roles, social integration, and health. In K. Pillemer, P. Moen, E. Wethington, & N. Glasgow (Eds.), Social integration in the second half of life(pp. 48-71). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
