2020/10/14 by Alper Kayaalp, Kyle J. Page, Kathleen M. Rospenda
Health Professions · Social Sciences · #Employment and Welfare Studies #Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving #Work-Family Balance Challenges
paper · doi:10.1080/02678373.2020.1832609
openalex publication_date 2020/10/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
Caregivers are responsible for the care of another, such as a young adult, disabled child, elderly parent, or sick spouse. Individuals who have caregiving responsibilities must blend the often-contradictory behavioral expectations from the different roles in which they reside. Building on the theoretical foundations of Conservation of Resources theory, this study tests a mediational model explicating the process through which caregiver burden impacts mental health through work-family conflict among a community sample of 1,007 unpaid caregivers in the greater Chicago area who responded to a mail survey at three time points. Structural equation modeling analyses indicate strain-based conflict as being a consistent mediator between caregiver burden and mental health at baseline and two years later. These findings can inform practice and policy for workers with caregiving responsibilities.