Four Generations Under One Roof:Family Care and Psychological Health of the Middle-aged and Elderly
With the expected increase in life expectancy in China,there is a growing number of multi-generational households,where the second generation of middle-aged and elderly individuals face the dual pressure of caring for their elderly parents and underage grandchildren.Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS)data from 2013 and 2018,a random effects model was used to examine the impact of caregiving in multi-generational households on the psychological health of the second generation of middle-aged and elderly individuals.The study found that when faced with caregiving responsibilities for both disabled parents and multiple underage grandchildren,the second generation prioritizes taking care of their grandchildren.The burden of caregiving for both the elderly and young does not significantly impact the psychological health of the caregivers,although it does increase the duration of caregiving.However,high caregiving demands within the family have a significant adverse effect on the psychological health of middle-aged and elderly individuals.Among the second-generation caregivers facing the dual burden of caring for both the elderly and young,the level of depression is highest.By examining the impact of"elderly care"and"childrearing"on the psychological health of the second generation within multi-generational households,this study aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the psychological health effects of caregiving for the elderly and young within Chinese families.It contributes to the development of policies for elderly care and child-rearing in the family context.
four-generation familieselderly carechild caregivingmiddle-aged and elderlypsychological health
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