TitleRoutine Support to Parents and Stressors in Everyday Domains: Associations With Negative Affect and Cortisol.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsSavla, J, Zarit, SH, Almeida, DM
JournalJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
Volume73
Issue3
Pagination437-446
Date Published2018 Mar 02
ISSN1758-5368
KeywordsActivities of Daily Living, Adult, Adult Children, Affect, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Caregivers, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Middle Aged, Parents, Saliva, Stress, Psychological
Abstract

<p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>Adult 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.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>We 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.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Results 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.</p><p><b>DISCUSSION: </b>Findings lend support to the caregiving career framework for understanding even casual routine assistance provided to a parent.</p>

DOI10.1093/geronb/gbx033
Alternate JournalJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
PubMed ID28379531
PubMed Central IDPMC5927022
Grant ListP01 AG020166 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG019239 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
U19 AG051426 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States