Intergenerational relationships and caregiving burden among family caregivers of older adults: A systematic review

Authors

  • Xiachun Ke School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
  • Yuanyuan Fu School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18063/ijps.v8i1.1320

Keywords:

Adult-child caregivers, Caregiver burden, Caregiving burden, China, Intergenerational relationship, Older adults, Systematic review

Abstract

Although intergenerational relationships play a significant role in maintaining the well-being of both caregivers and care recipients, few studies have examined how intergenerational relationships influence caregiving burden, especially for adult-child caregivers. A systematic search of electronic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO, was conducted across quantitative studies published in English in 2012 – 2022 to provide a summary of (1) the operationalization of caregiver burden and intergenerational relationships used in this field and (2) the effect of intergenerational relationships on caregiver burden. Intergenerational relationships are rarely defined, and they are operationalized in multiple and diverging ways. The eight included papers showed varying results but generally indicated that intergenerational relationships exert a great influence on caregiver burden. Further examination of the impact of intergenerational relationships on caregiver burden is an indispensable prerequisite for interventions that could positively influence the health outcome of adult-child caregivers.

References

Aires M, Mocellin D, Fengler FL, et al. (2017). Association between filial responsibility when caring for parents and the caregivers overload. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 70(4):767-774. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0133

Aung T, Aung MN, Moolphate S, et al. (2021). Caregiver burden and associated factors for the respite care needs among the family caregivers of community dwelling senior citizens in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11):5873. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115873

Bai X. (2018). Development and validation of a multidimensional intergenerational relationship quality scale for aging Chinese parents. The Gerontologist, 58(6):e338-e348. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx156

Burns DD, Sayers SL, and Moras K. (1994). Intimate relationships and depression: is there a causal connection? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(5):1033-1043. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.62.5.1033

Clyburn LD, Stones MJ, Hadjistavropoulos T, et al. (2000). Predicting caregiver burden and depression in Alzheimer’s disease. The Journals of Gerontology Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 55(1):S2-S13. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/55.1.s2

del-Pino-Casado R, Millán-Cobo MD, Palomino-Moral PA, et al. (2014). Cultural correlates of burden in primary caregivers of older relatives: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 46(3):176-186. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12070

Dong X, Zhang M, and Simon MA. (2014). The expectation and perceived receipt of filial piety among Chinese older adults in the Greater Chicago area. Journal of Aging and Health, 26(7):1225-1247. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264314541697

Enright J, O’Connell M, Branger C, et al. (2020). Identity, relationship quality, and subjective burden in caregivers of persons with dementia. Dementia, 19(6):1855-1871. https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301218808607

Heyman RE, Sayers SL, and Bellack AS. (1994). Global marital satisfaction versus marital adjustment: An empirical comparison of three measures. Journal of Family Psychology, 8(4):432-446. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.8.4.432

Hobfoll SE. (1989). Conservation of resources. A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. The American Psychologist, 44(3):513-524. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.44.3.513

Hoffmann F and Rodrigues R. (2010). Informal Carers: Who takes care of them? European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research. Available from https://www.euro.centre.org/downloads/detail/1256 [Last accessed on 2022 Jul 24].

Iecovich E. (2008). Caregiving burden, community services, and quality of life of primary caregivers of frail elderly persons. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 27(3):309-330. https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464808315289

Ikels C. (2004). Filial Piety: Practice and Discourse in Contemporary East Asia. Redwood City, California: Stanford University Press.

Kim KC, Kim S, and Hurh WM. (1991). Filial piety and intergenerational relationship in Korean immigrant families. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 33(3): 233-245. https://doi.org/10.2190/Y91P-UNGR-X5E1-175K

Lawton MP, Kleban MH, Moss M, et al. (1989). Measuring caregiving appraisal. Journal of Gerontology, 44(3):P61-P71. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/44.3.p61

Lawton MP, Moss M, Kleban MH, et al. (1991). A two-factor model of caregiving appraisal and psychological well-being. Journal of Gerontology, 46(4):P181-P189. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/46.4.p181

Lin WF, Chen LH, and Li TS. (2012). Adult children’s caregiver burden and depression: The moderating roles of parent-child relationship satisfaction and feedback from others. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(2):673-687. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9348-0

Liu H and Lou VW. (2019). Transitioning into spousal caregiving: Contribution of caregiving intensity and caregivers’ multiple chronic conditions to functional health. Age Ageing, 48(1):108-114. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy098

Liu J and Bern-Klug M. (2016). “I should be doing more for my parent:” Chinese adult children’s worry about performance in providing care for their oldest-old parents. International Psychogeriatrics, 28(2):303-315. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610215001726

Lopez-Anuarbe M and Kohli P. (2019). Understanding male caregivers’ emotional, financial, and physical burden in the United States. Healthcare, 7(2):72. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare7020072

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, et al. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. Annals of Internal Medicine, 151(4):264-269. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-151-4-200908180-00135

Novak M and Guest C. (1989). Application of a multidimensional caregiver burden inventory. The Gerontologist, 29(6):798-803. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/29.6.798

Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews, 10(1):1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01626-4

Pan Y, Chen R, and Yang D. (2022). The relationship between filial piety and caregiver burden among adult children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Geriatric Nursing, 43:113-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.10.024

Pearlin LI, Lieberman MA, Menaghan EG, et al. (1981). The stress process. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 22(4):337-356. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136676

Pearlin LI, Mullan JT, Semple SJ, et al. (1990). Caregiving and the stress process: An overview of concepts and their measures. The Gerontologist, 30(5):583-594. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/30.5.583

Pearlin LI. (1999). The stress process revisited. In: CS Aneshensel and JC Phelan (eds.). Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health. Boston, MA: Springer, p. 395-415. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-36223-1_19

Queluz FNF, de Santis L, de Fatima Kirchner L, et al. (2022). The influence of the quality of filial relationship on the mental health of children caregivers. Trends in Psychology, 30(3):455-467. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43076-022-00140-3

Reinhard SC and Horwitz AV. (1995). Caregiver burden: Differentiating the content and consequences of family caregiving. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57(3):741-750. https://doi.org/10.2307/353928

Robinson BC. (1983). Validation of a caregiver strain index. Journal of Gerontology, 38(3):344-348. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/38.3.344

Sebern MD and Whitlatch CJ. (2007). Dyadic relationship scale: A measure of the impact of the provision and receipt of family care. The Gerontologist, 47(6):741-751. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/47.6.741

Solomon DN, Hansen L, Baggs JG, et al. (2015). Relationship quality in non-cognitively impaired mother-daughter care dyads: A systematic review. Journal of Family Nursing, 21(4):551-578. https://doi.org/10.1177/1074840715601252

Stenberg U, Ruland CM, and Miaskowski C. (2010). Review of the literature on the effects of caring for a patient with cancer. Psychooncology, 19(10):1013-1025. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1670

Swinkels JC, van Groenou MIB, de Boer A, et al. (2019). Male and female partner-caregivers’ burden: Does it get worse over time? Gerontologist, 59(6):1103-1111. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny132

Tang CS, Wu AMS, Yeung D, et al. (2009). Attitudes and intention toward old age home placement: A study of young adult, middle-aged, and older Chinese. Ageing International, 34(4):237-251. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-009-9047-2

Tramonti F, Barsanti I, Ghicopulos I, et al. (2013). Family functioning and caregiver burden in Alzheimer’s disease. Family Science, 4(1):161-168. https://doi.org/10.1080/19424620.2013.871741

Ugargol AP and Bailey A. (2018). Family caregiving for older adults: Gendered roles and caregiver burden in emigrant households of Kerala, India. Asian Population Studies, 14(2):194-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441730.2017.1412593

United Nations. (2022). World Population Prospects 2022. New York: The United Nations. Available from: https://www.un.org/ development/desa/pd/content/publications [Last accessed on 2022 Jul 24].

Wagner M and Brandt M. (2018). Long-term care provision and the well-being of spousal caregivers: An analysis of 138 European regions. The Journals of Gerontology Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 73(4):e24-e34. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx133

Wu Y, Liu Y, Cao X, et al. (2021). Burden of caregivers who care for oldest-old parents with disability: A cross-sectional study. Geriatric Nursing, 42(4):792-798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.04.013

Yates ME, Tennstedt S, and Chang BH. (1999). Contributors to and mediators of psychological well-being for informal caregivers. The Journals of Gerontology Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 54(1):P12-P22. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/54b.1.p12

Zarit S, Orr NK, and Zarit JM. (1985). The Hidden Victims of Alzheimer’s Disease: Families under Stress. New York: New York University Press.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2022-08-12

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2022)

Section

Research Articles

License

Authors contributing to International Journal of Population Studies agree to publish their articles under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License, allowing third parties to share their work (copy, distribute, transmit) and to adapt it, under the condition that the authors are given credit, that the work is not used for commercial purposes, and that in the event of reuse or distribution, the terms of this license are made clear. With this license, the authors hold the copyright without restrictions and are allowed to retain publishing rights without restrictions as long as the International Journal of Population Studies is the original publisher of the articles.