Transitions to caregiving, gender, and psychological well-being: A prospective US national study

Guided by a life course perspective, this study examined the effects of transitioning into caregiving activity for a child, spouse, parent, other relative, or nonkin associate on nine dimensions of psychological well-being. Data came from adults ages 19-95, who were noncaregiver primary respondents in the National Survey of Families and Households in 1987-88 and who were followed up longitudinally in 1992-93 (N = 8,286). Results from multivariate regression models confirmed that the transition to caregiving for primary kin (i.e., a child, spouse, or biological parent) was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms. However in selected instances, caregiving was associated with beneficial effects (e.g., women who began to provide nonresidential care to a biological parent reported more purpose in life than noncaregiving women). Evidence regarding gender differences was inconsistent, varying across caregiving role relationship types.