Home
HOME ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS

This Article
Services
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation

The Gerontologist, Vol 39, Issue 2 150-158, Copyright © 1999 by The Gerontological Society of America


ARTICLES

Gender roles, marital intimacy, and nomination of spouse as primary caregiver

SM Allen, F Goldscheider and DA Ciambrone
Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. susan_allen@brown.edu

Using data from a sample of married men and women undergoing treatment for cancer, we tested two potential hypotheses for the unequal representation of husbands and wives as spousal caregivers, including societal gender role norms and emotional closeness in the marital relationship. Multivariate analyses support both hypotheses; wives are only one third as likely as husbands to select their spouses as caregivers, and spouses who name their mates as confidants are three times more likely than those who do not to also name them as caregivers. We conclude that although gender role norms are key to caregiver selection, the intimacy inherent in the caregiving role renders an emotionally close marriage an important criterion to the selection of spouse as caregiver.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social ScienceHome page
J. C. Lima, S. M. Allen, F. Goldscheider, and O. Intrator
Spousal Caregiving in Late Midlife Versus Older Ages: Implications of Work and Family Obligations
J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., July 1, 2008; 63(4): S229 - S238.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social ScienceHome page
M. E. Szinovacz and A. Davey
Retirement Transitions and Spouse Disability: Effects on Depressive Symptoms
J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., November 1, 2004; 59(6): S333 - S342.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Biol Res NursHome page
R. L. Thompson, S. L. Lewis, M. R. Murphy, J. M. Hale, P. H. Blackwell, G. J. Acton, D. H. Clough, G. J. Patrick, and P. N. Bonner
Are there Sex Differences in Emotional and Biological Responses in Spousal Caregivers of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease?
Biol Res Nurs, April 1, 2004; 5(4): 319 - 330.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
Psychosom. Med.Home page
R. B. Tower, S. V. Kasl, and A. S. Darefsky
Types of Marital Closeness and Mortality Risk in Older Couples
Psychosom Med, July 1, 2002; 64(4): 644 - 659.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social ScienceHome page
S. M. Allen, A. Foster, and K. Berg
Receiving Help at Home: The Interplay of Human and Technological Assistance
J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., November 1, 2001; 56(6): S374 - 382.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social ScienceHome page
J. C. Lima and S. M. Allen
Targeting Risk for Unmet Need: Not Enough Help Versus No Help at All
J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., September 1, 2001; 56(5): S302 - 310.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
GerontologistHome page
L. A. Roscoe, J. E. Malphurs, L. J. Dragovic, and D. Cohen
A Comparison of Characteristics of Kevorkian Euthanasia Cases and Physician-Assisted Suicides in Oregon
Gerontologist, August 1, 2001; 41(4): 439 - 446.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]




HOME ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1999 by The Gerontological Society of America.