Research has yet to examine young adults in caregiver roles to older family members and their attitudes toward filial responsibility. In response, the authors collected data from two groups: (a) young adults who were primary caregivers to impaired elderly relatives (n = 40), and (b) 18-to 40-year-olds who had yet to take on caregiver roles (n = 40). As anticipated, the majority of young adults assumed their caregiver roles out of respect for the older family member in need and to help out the traditional elder caregivers in their families (middle-aged parents and siblings). In addition, expected differences in attitudes toward filial responsibility between the young adult caregivers and their noncaregiver peers were found. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
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