Page 72 - IJPS-8-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Intergenerational relationships and caregiving burden

between intergenerational relationships and caregiver relationships on caregiver burden. For example, when
burden. In addition, some studies have found mediating adult children gain more positive feedback and more
and moderating roles of intergenerational relationships in positive interactions from their parents, they report less
the stress process. Several aspects relevant to the findings burden (del-Pino-Casado, Millán-Cobo, Palomino-Moral,
need to be discussed to facilitate interpretation. et al., 2014; Lopez-Anuarbe and Kohli, 2019; Queluz, de
Santis, de Fatima Kirchner, et al., 2022). In addition, a
4.1. Measurement of intergenerational relationships not-significant association between intergenerational
In terms of measurement, the majority of the existing relationships and caregiver burden was found in one study
papers adopt well-established scales to measure caregiver (Wu, Liu, Cao, et al., 2021). Some researchers have pointed
burden. However, when measuring intergenerational out the importance of intergenerational relationships
relationships, only a few studies adopt scales (Enright, as a psychological resource for caregivers. A good
O’Connell, Branger, et al., 2020; Queluz, de Santis, de intergenerational relationship can mitigate the effects
Fatima Kirchner, et al., 2022). Scales to measure caregiver of depression on caregiver burden (Lin, Chen, and Li,
burden included the ZBI, the BAS, the CBI, and the CSI. 2012) and can be a protective factor when facing complex
Intergenerational relationships are a multidimensional caregiving difficulties (Enright, O’Connell, Branger, et al.,
concept relative to concepts such as attachment, emotional 2020). There are two probable reasons why the conclusions
exchange, emotional support, intimacy, love, mutuality, vary among studies. On the one hand, as stated above,
reciprocity, and so on (Solomon, Hansen, Baggs, et al., due to the lack of an accurate operational definition of
2015). However, the majority of these eight studies did not intergenerational relationships, it cannot be determined
adopt well-established scales to measure intergenerational whether these inconsistencies in results arise from
relationships. Based on previous findings, we found that methodological issues or reflect a weak overall effect of
current measurements of intergenerational relationships intergenerational relationships on caregiver burden. On the
can be divided into the following three main categories: other hand, various cultural contexts can result in different
Structural-associational solidarity, affectual solidarity, conclusions. These eight studies were based on data from
and intergenerational conflict. Therefore, we believe that Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. People’s
in subsequent studies, reliable and valid scales should be understanding and social norms about the parent-child
used to measure intergenerational relationships to gain a relationships may differ greatly from culture to culture.
more comprehensive understanding. Several scales have For example, compared to Western culture, filial piety
been used to measure relationships, such as the Burns serves as a core familial norm in the Chinese social value
Relationship Satisfaction Scale (Burns, Sayers, and Moras, system, which claims that children should provide their
1994; Heyman, Sayers, and Sayers, 1994) and the Dyadic older parents with a broad range of support and care (Ikels,
Relationship Scale (Sebern and Whitlatch, 2007). However, 2004). Thus, the impact of intergenerational relationships
it is worth noting that not only adult children can be primary on caregiver burden in different cultural contexts may be
caregivers of older adults but also spouses, other relatives, different and deserves more exploration in future studies.
or even friends. Therefore, we suggest that a reliable and 4.3. Pearlin’s stress process model
valid relationship scale specifically for child-parent care
dyads is necessary. For example, Bai (2018) developed and The majority of studies in this review were not based on
validated an Intergenerational Relationship Quality Scale a well-established conceptual framework. However, the
for Aging Chinese Parents based on solidarity, conflict, Pearlin’s Stress Process Model (Pearlin, 1999; Pearlin,
and ambivalence models, which enables researchers and Lieberman, Menaghan, et al., 1981; Pearlin, Mullan, Semple,
service practitioners to accurately measure the relationship et al., 1990) is one of the most commonly used frameworks
quality between older people and their adult children. to explain the variation in caregiver health outcomes,
including caregiver burden in long-term care studies. In
4.2. Impact of intergenerational relationships on addition, Pearlin et al. (1990) pointed out two important
caregiver burden concepts relative to intergenerational relationships in this
Some studies pointed out a significantly positive model, that is, family conflict and social support.
relationship between intergenerational relationships and First, the Pearlin’s Stress Process Model in 1981
caregiver burden. For example, when adult children give reshaped the sociological study of stress and mental health
parents more support or feel closer to them, they report by emphasizing the role of chronic stressors and resources
more burden (Aires, Mocellin, Fengler, et al., 2017; Liu and on psychological distress. Pearlin et al. (1981) pointed
Bern-Klug, 2016). However, some studies have pointed out that disruptive life events might lead to some chronic
out the significantly negative effect of intergenerational stressors, such as family conflict. Family conflict might lead

Volume 8 Issue 1 (2022) 66 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.v8i1.1320