Caregiving and Perceived Generativity: A Positive and Protective Aspect of Providing Care?

OBJECTIVES: Although a sizable body of research supports negative psychological consequences of caregiving, less is known about potential psychological benefits. This study aimed to examine whether caregiving was associated with enhanced generativity, or feeling like one makes important contributions to others. An additional aim was to examine the buffering potential of perceived generativity on adverse health outcomes associated with caregiving.

METHODS: Analyses utilized a subsample of participants (n = 3,815, ages 30-84 years) from the second wave of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS).

RESULTS: Regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic factors indicated greater negative affect and depression (p < .001) and lower levels of positive affect (p < .01), but higher self-perceptions of generativity (p < .001), in caregivers compared with non-caregivers. This association remained after adjusting for varying caregiving intensities and negative psychological outcomes. Additionally, generativity interacted with depression and negative affect (p values < .05) to lessen the likelihood of health-related cutbacks in work/household productivity among caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that greater feelings of generativity may be a positive aspect of caregiving that might help mitigate some of the adverse health and well-being consequences of care.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Self-perceptions of generativity may help alleviate caregiver burden and explain why some caregivers fare better than others.