scholarly journals Translating Basic Research on the Aging Family to Caregiving Intervention: The Case of Within-Family Differences

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Pillemer ◽  
Megan Gilligan
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregiving ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Psychological Study ◽  
Innovative Program ◽  
The Family ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Individual

Abstract Since its inception, the field of gerontology has sought to establish optimal connections between the scientific activities of researchers and the real-world concerns of practitioners and clinicians. The concept of translational research has emerged in recent years as a model for bridging the gap between science and service. This article provides an example of how basic research findings can be translated to provide guidance for intervention in the area of family caregiving. We review findings from an innovative program of research on within-family differences, which extends theory and research from the developmental psychological study of children to the family in later life. The within-family difference perspective focuses on how the individual parent–child dyads in a particular family differ from and are affected by other dyads. Basic research on this topic has revealed the extent of parental favoritism in later life, factors related to parental differential treatment of offspring, and the consequences of such favoritism and treatment on sibling relationship quality and psychological well-being. Four examples are provided of ways in which attention to within-family differences research could enhance caregiving interventions.

scholarly journals Discordant Chronic Conditions and Depressive Symptoms: Longitudinal Associations Among Middle-Aged and Older Couples

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney A Polenick ◽  
Kira S Birditt ◽  
Angela Turkelson ◽  
Benjamin C Bugajski ◽  
Helen C Kales
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Objectives Individuals often manage chronic conditions in middle and later life that may diminish well-being. Little is known, however, about discordant conditions (i.e., two or more conditions with competing self-management requirements) among older couples and their links to depressive symptoms. We considered discordant conditions at both the individual level and the couple level (i.e., between spouses), along with their long-term implications for depressive symptoms. Methods The U.S. sample included 1,116 middle-aged and older couples drawn from five waves (2006–2014) of the Health and Retirement Study. Longitudinal actor-partner interdependence models evaluated whether individual-level and couple-level discordant chronic health conditions were concurrently linked to depressive symptoms, and whether these associations became stronger over time. Models controlled for age, minority status, education, prior wave depressive symptoms, and each partner’s baseline report of negative marital quality and number of chronic conditions in each wave. Results Wives and husbands reported significantly greater depressive symptoms when they had individual-level discordant conditions about 2 years after baseline, and these links intensified over time. Beyond this association, husbands had significantly greater depressive symptoms when there were couple-level discordant conditions. Discussion Individual-level and couple-level discordant conditions may have lasting implications for depressive symptoms during midlife and older adulthood.

Stereotype threat as a psychological feature of work–life conflict

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 302-320
Author(s):  
Andrea L. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Stereotype Threat ◽  
Family Caregiving ◽  
Work Productivity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Stereotype Threat Theory ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Threat Theory ◽  
Work Life Conflict

Much remains unknown about the boundary conditions of stereotype threat and the factors that influence how it manifests in various domains. In particular, non-performance-related responses to stereotype threat have been relatively neglected, and little is known about stereotype threats in domains where group membership is less stable over the life course. Using both correlational and experimental methods, these studies use the work–life conflict domain to contribute to stereotype threat theory along these dimensions. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that stereotype threat based on caregiver status predicts increased use of coping strategies that involve sacrifices in work productivity, family caregiving, and personal well-being. Studies 1 through 3 suggest that formal flexibility accommodation policies (such as the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993) may not be an effective intervention in stereotype threat in the work–life conflict domain; providing informal social cues of support for employees with caregiving responsibilities, however, may be effective.

scholarly journals Caregiving in the U.S. 2020: What Does the Latest Edition of This Survey Tell Us About Their Contributions and Needs?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 681-681
Author(s):  
Gabriela Prudencio ◽  
Heather Young
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Family Caregiving ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
Trend Data ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Services And Supports ◽  
The Individual ◽  
National Profile ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Family and friends comprise the most basic unit of any society. For individuals who take on the responsibility of caring for another person through sickness or disability, it can often be challenging to see beyond the individual experience. Yet in the aggregate, family caregivers—whether they be families of kin or families of choice—are woven into the fabric of America’s health, social, economic, and long-term services and supports (LTSS) systems. As the country continues to age, the need to support caregivers as the cornerstone of society will only become more important. A national profile of family caregivers first emerged from the 1997 Caregiving in the U.S. study. Related studies were conducted in 2004, 2009, and 2015 by the NAC in collaboration with AARP. Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 presents a portrait of unpaid family caregivers today. A nationally representative survey (n=1,499), it replicates the methodology used in 2015. Therefore, during this symposium, AARP and NAC will present trend data from 2015 in comparison to 2020, and explore key subgroup differences. The presentation will cover prevalence, demographic characteristics, intensity and duration of care, the well-being of caregivers, the financial impact of family caregiving on caregivers themselves, and the degree to which technology supports caregivers today.

scholarly journals Ambiente familiar positivo y bienestar personal: comparación entre población urbana y rural/Positive Family Environment and Personal Well-being: Comparison Between Urban and Rural Populations

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Fernanda Durón-Ramos ◽  
Cesar Octavio Tapia-Fonllem ◽  
Victor Corral-Verdugo ◽  
Blanca Silvio Fraijo-Sing
Keyword(s):  
Family Environment ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Rural Populations ◽  
Physical Context ◽  
The Family ◽  
Order Factor ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship

<p><strong>Español</strong></p><p>El ambiente familiar se considera uno de los contextos más importantes en la vida de las personas. El presente estudio centró su interés en el bienestar personal que este ambiente sociofísico genera en sus habitantes. El objetivo general fue identificar la relación que existe entre el ambiente familiar positivo (AFP) y el bienestar personal en individuos que viven en zona urbana y rural. La muestra estuvo conformada por 202 personas, de las cuales 68% eran de sexo femenino y 32% del masculino. Las edades oscilaron entre 18 y 76 años con una media de 34.7 (DE = 14.3). Se utilizó un instrumento para medir factores del ambiente sociofísico de las familias y el bienestar personal. Se llevó a cabo el análisis de confiabilidad, estadísticos descriptivos y comparativos, así como un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales. Los resultados comprueban que existen diferencias en algunas dimensiones sociofísicas del ambiente familiar entre las personas que habitan en zona urbana y aquellos que residen en área rural. Además, se probó que el factor de orden superior denominado ambiente familiar positivo se encuentra significativamente relacionado con el bienestar de los individuos.</p><p><strong>English</strong></p><p>Family environment is considered one of the essential contexts in life; one of the reasons is because people spend most of their quality time in the home. This study focused its interest in the positivity that this socio-physical context generates in the individual. The study aimed at identifying the relationship between the construct called a positive family environment and the personal well-being of people living in urban and rural contexts. A sample of 202 people gave their answers, 68% woman, and 32% man, the age was between 18 y 76 years old with a mean of 34.7 (SD = 14.3). The instrument combined scales to measure socio-physical components in the family environment and personal well-being. Reliability, descriptive, and comparative analyses, as well as a structural equation model were performed. Results showed the existence of differences between people living in urban and rural zones on most of the socio physical dimensions of the family environment. A higher-order factor was formed with physical and social aspects, this variable is called a positive family environment, and it is significantly related to personal well-being.</p>

scholarly journals Compliance of the expert with the self-isolation in the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic as a factor of the psychological well-being

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 358-363
Author(s):  
Elena A. Sorokoumova ◽  
Elena I. Cherdymova ◽  
Elena B. Puchkova ◽  
Larisa V. Temnova ◽  
Tatiana I. Bonkalo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
The Family ◽  
Occupational Activities ◽  
Mode Of Life ◽  
Psychological Assistance ◽  
Level Of Understanding ◽  
The Individual ◽  
High Level

Introduction. Experts in many occupations are to carry out their occupational activities in unusual conditions. And in particular, in a remote mode, which can be a factor that reduces the level of psychological well-being of the individual if there is no compliance with the situation of self-isolation. The purpose of the study is to study the teachers’ compliance with the situation of self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tasks of the study include the detection of the grade of the compliance with the situation of self-isolation during the pandemic, the analysis of the level of compliance with the situation of self-isolation during the pandemic as a factor of psychological well-being of teachers. Material and methods. We surveyed 124 teachers (between 23 to 67 years). The respondents’ answers are represented on three scales: Understanding the situation of self-isolation’, ‘Understanding of oneself in the situation of isolation, ‘Understanding the characteristics of the interactions and communication in the situation of isolation’. Results. Most respondents agree with the need for self-isolation and consider it to be a practical approach to prevent the incidence of COVID-19. The most pronounced responses are the ones on improving occupational and cultural levels. Most of the respondents note a high level of understanding of the value of relationships. Discussion. In particular, the problem of insufficiently high level of self-understanding in the situation of self-isolation, along with the acknowledgement of the need to comply with it, to be revealed. In this regard, it is advisable to provide psychological assistance in the form of information support for the population. Conclusion. That the better the respondents understand the need for self-isolation, the more effective the process of communication and interaction with others is, and, consequently, the less damage is caused to the level of psychological well-being of the individual. Due to the established lack of understanding of oneself in the situation of self-isolation, the following can be considered practical areas of informational psychological support: critical attitude to information that appears in various sources; building positive relationships within the family; managing work at home to ensure good performance; preserving the ability to return to the usual mode of life after the period of self-isolation.

scholarly journals A Review of the Complex Role of Family Caregivers as Health Team Members and Second-Order Patients

Healthcare ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherman
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Family Caregiving ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Physical Decline ◽  
Health Team ◽  
The Family

In Palliative Care, the unit of care is the patient and their family. Although members of the health care team often address the family caregiver’s opinions and concerns, the focus of care remains on the needs of the patient. The readiness and willingness of the family caregiver is often overlooked as they are expected to assume a complex caregiving role. When family caregivers are not intellectually or emotionally prepared or physically capable, the caregiver is at high risk for serious health issues and cognitive, emotional, and physical decline particularly as caregiving extends over time. Family caregivers are often a neglected and at-risk population. Illustrated through the use of a case study, this article addresses the complex role of family caregivers, as both health team members and second-order patients. It emphasizes the importance of family assessment and interventions to balance the burdens and benefits of family caregiving and protect caregivers’ health and well-being.

The individual: growing into society

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Bonner
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Neuropsychological Development ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Mind And Body ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Fear And Anxiety ◽  
Health And Well Being

This chapter examines the main developmental processes underlying future emotional and social behaviours. Early life experiences, combined with the development of social networks, exert a strong influence on health and well-being in later life, which in turn are mediated by the development of prosocial behaviour, coping skills, resilience, and optimal cognitive functioning. These complex issues require a healthy mind and body and the motivation to benefit and learn from a supportive environment. The chapter first provides an overview of neuropsychological development and the role of affection, fear and anxiety in early development before discussing social anxiety, communication and socialisation, and the well-being of children. It also considers the interrelationships between poverty, child abuse and neglect and concludes with an assessment of social inclusion strategies, troubled families, deviant and anti-social behaviour, the link between mental health and human distress.

scholarly journals Marital strain trajectories over a quarter century and spouses’ loneliness: Couple-level and individual pathways

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 821-842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kandauda A. S. Wickrama ◽  
Tae Kyoung Lee ◽  
Catherine Walker O’Neal
Keyword(s):  
Extended Period ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Marital Strain ◽  
Over 40 Years

Although research suggests that stressful marital experiences may lead to feelings of loneliness in later life, little is known about the influence of marital strain over an extended period of time on loneliness in later years. Thus, in the present study, drawing from family systems and cognitive theories along with common fate and actor–partner interdependence modeling approaches, we hypothesized a hybrid model comprised of two multilevel pathways explaining the persistent influence of marital strain on loneliness, including: (a) a couple-level pathway and (b) an individual pathway involving within-spouse and between-spouse effects. Specifically, we investigated the influences of individual- and couple-level trajectories of marital strain over a period of 25 years (from 1991 to 2015) on loneliness outcomes in later years with a sample of 257 couples in enduring, long-term (over 40 years) marriages. The results mostly supported both hypothesized pathways. Consistent with the pathway involving a couple-level process, couple-level trajectories of marital strain predicted couples’ later-life loneliness as reflected by both spouses’ reports of loneliness (shared perceptions). In addition, at the individual level, each spouses’ unexplained variances (unique perception) in marital strain trajectories predicted his/her own later-life loneliness outcomes (within-spouse effect or actor effect). Findings are discussed as they relate to intervention and prevention programs focusing on the well-being of married couples in later life.

scholarly journals The Impact of Major Events on the Lives of Family Caregivers of Children with Disabilities

1996 ◽  
Vol 77 (8) ◽  
pp. 502-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas P. McDonald ◽  
Graciela Couchonnal ◽  
Theresa Early
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Emotional Disorders ◽  
Family Caregiving ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
School Activities ◽  
Children's Behavior ◽  
The Family ◽  
Families With Children ◽  
The Impact

The authors examine the family caregiving experience among families with children with severe emotional disabilities from a perspective that recognizes the importance of the family's views and feelings. This viewpoint anticipates the occurrence of both positive and negative experiences and seeks to illuminate the caregiving process from the perspective of outcomes achieved. Family caregivers of 164 children with serious emotional disorders were asked to identify major pleasant and stressful events that had occurred in the past 12 months. The most frequently described pleasant events related to children's behavior, school activities, and interactions with professionals and friends. Frequently described problem areas included children's behavior, professionals/services, and difficulty with school. The impact of these pleasant and stressful events was examined with respect to caregivers' perceived well-being: (1) overall stress, (2) the ability to fulfill responsibilities, and (3) pleasure experienced in various life domains. Implications of the study findings for supporting family caregivers in their roles are discussed.

scholarly journals Conclusion

2021 ◽  
pp. 555-564
Author(s):  
Matthew T. Lee ◽  
Laura D. Kubzansky ◽  
Tyler J. VanderWeele
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Disciplinary Boundaries ◽  
Collective Work ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Interdisciplinary Scholarship ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Coherent Body ◽  
Specific Expertise

The chapters in this volume affirm the value not only of specialized, discipline-specific research on the nature of well-being—its antecedents, and its consequences—but also of synthesizing interdisciplinary scholarship into a coherent body of research findings, theoretical explanations, and policy recommendations regarding well-being. Each of the 20 chapters makes a contribution to more than one scholarly discipline, and many bridge the social sciences and the humanities. In some cases, a disciplinary expert engaged with the methods or findings of an outside discipline. Other chapters were co-authored by scholars in the both humanities and social sciences. Still others were written by interdisciplinary experts. Beyond the individual chapters, the volume as a whole informs the meta-conversation about how scholars might draw on their specific expertise to transcend disciplinary boundaries and contribute to the collective work of conceptualizing and measuring well-being in ways that effectively advance our understanding of and ability to improve population health. In other words, we believe bringing together work from across often siloed disciplines will provide important insight regarding how individuals and social organizations can pursue the good life and build better societies. We hope that readers will appreciate each individual chapter on its own terms while also gaining a broader awareness of how the study of well-being might benefit from more sustained interdisciplinary dialogue. Ultimately, we hope our volume will encourage further efforts at synthesis by identifying and then building on areas of emerging consensus (see, for example, ...

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