Routine Support to Parents and Stressors in Everyday Domains: Associations With Negative Affect and Cortisol

Jyoti Savla, Steven H Zarit and David M Almeida

The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 2018, vol. 73, issue 3, 437-446

Abstract: ObjectivesAdult children are involved a myriad of roles including providing routine (non-caregiving) support to a parent. Yet we know little about whether providing routine support to a parent is stressful and whether it has any associations with stressors in other life domains.MethodsWe use daily diary data (N = 127; Study Days = 424) from the National Study of Daily Experiences to determine whether providing routine support to an older parent is associated with higher negative affect and salivary cortisol.ResultsResults confirm that providing routine support and experiencing stressors at work were independently associated with negative affect and greater cortisol output. Stress reactions were not amplified, however, on days when adult children concurrently provided support to a parent and reported work stressors. Cutting back usual activities at work or home elevated negative affect but were not associated with an upsurge of cortisol production.DiscussionFindings lend support to the caregiving career framework for understanding even casual routine assistance provided to a parent.

Keywords: Cortisol; Cutback; Negative affect; Parental support; Stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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The Journals of Gerontology: Series B is currently edited by Psychological Sciences - S. Duke Han, PhD and Social Sciences - Jessica A Kelley, PhD, FGSA

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