Draft
Stuck in the Middle: The Role Overload, Resilience, and Life Satisfaction among the Sandwich Generation
Page 1
Title and Authors:
Mary Joeh A. Llarena
Khali Andrea L. San Pedro
Jane Hazel Udtuhan
Keithlyn Louise D. Zapata
Institution: Centro Escolar University, Manila
Date: November 2024
Page 2: Abstract
Sandwich Generation Overview:
Individuals caring for both elderly parents and young children.
Common cultural phenomenon, particularly affecting women's mental health and happiness.
Focus of Study:
Investigates if resilience can mitigate the negative effects of role overload on life satisfaction among mothers in this generation.
Key Findings:
Role overload is prevalent but does not significantly detract from life satisfaction.
Resilience serves as a protective factor, maintaining moderate to high life satisfaction levels.
Support Systems:
Financial stability, spousal support, and manageable caregiving roles identified as crucial for resilience.
Implication of Results:
Emphasizes the importance of structured support and resilience to enhance life satisfaction.
Page 3: Chapter I - Introduction
Sandwich Generation Definition:
Term refers to mothers fulfilling caregiving roles for both children and elderly parents.
Cultural Context:
Filipinos hold strong family values; multi-generational cohabitation is common.
Challenges Faced:
Role overload is evident among caregivers, particularly women, leading to potential declines in life satisfaction.
Calls for Support:
Recommendations for open family communication and reducing caregiving burdens are essential.
Page 4: Role Overload Statistics
Demographic Trends:
2022: 50% of adults aged 18-29 lived with parents, an increase from 38% in 2000.
Caregiving statistics indicate 85% of elderly caregivers are women.
Support Types Provided:
Daily living activities, financial and medical assistance.
Struggles Identified:
Rising caregiving costs lead to stress, with many still managing to achieve life satisfaction.
Page 5: Objectives of the Study
Main Objective:
Assess correlation between role overload, resilience, and life satisfaction among the sandwich generation.
Specific Aims:
Evaluate the impact of role overload on life satisfaction.
Determine resilience's role in alleviating the effects of role overload.
Explore interrelationships of these variables.
Page 6: Theoretical Framework
Role Strain Theory (William J. Goode):
Examines stress from managing conflicting obligations across various roles.
Intergenerational Solidarity Theory (Bengtson and Roberts):
Family member support enhances overall family health and satisfaction.
Page 7: Framework Implications
Combining Theories:
Role overload negatively impacts life satisfaction; proper family support may buffer these effects.
Page 8: Conceptual Framework
Variables:
Independent Variable: Role Overload
Dependent Variable: Life Satisfaction
Mediator: Resilience
Research Focus: Sandwich generation mothers' dual caregiving roles.
Page 9: Research Questions
Demographics: Age, number of children, elderly parents, monthly income of respondents.
Role Characteristics: Levels of role overload, life satisfaction, and resilience.
Relationships: Role overload and life satisfaction; resilience and life satisfaction.
Page 10: Hypotheses
Null Hypothesis: No significant relationship between role overload, resilience, and life satisfaction.
Alternative Hypothesis: There is a significant relationship.
Page 11: Significance of the Study
Beneficiaries include:
Anthropologists: Understanding cultural perspectives.
Faculty: Raising awareness among students.
Middle-aged Parents: Strategies to cope with caregiving stress.
Psychology Students and Young Adults: Insights for future caregiving roles and preventive measures.
Page 12: Scope and Delimitations
Target Respondents:
Filipino mothers aged 30-50, caregivers of children under 18 and parents over 60, residing in Metro Manila.
Page 13: Definitions of Terms
Key Terms:
Baby Boomers: Individuals born 1946-1964.
Generation Z: Individuals born 1997-2012.
Role Overload: Perceived lack of time and energy due to multiple obligations.
Life Satisfaction: Personal assessment of one’s life conditions.
Sandwich Generation: Middle-aged adults responsible for both children and elderly parents.
Page 14: Literature Review - Sandwich Generation Concept
Sandwich generation dynamics and prevalence in various cultures.
Filipina women often bear caregiving burdens.
Page 15: Cultural Expectations
Societal norms regarding family caregiving and impact on individual caregivers.
Page 16: Literature on Caregiving Pressures
Importance of recognizing sandwich generation struggles in the Philippines; lack of data on their challenges.
Page 17: Role Overload Summary
Caregiving impacts reported on mental health and daily functioning.
Page 18-19: Resilience Amid Caregiving
Identifying effective coping strategies.
Addressing mental health issues through support networks and flexibility in workplace practices.
Page 20: Life Satisfaction Indicators
The effects of role overload on caregivers’ overall quality of life and satisfaction levels.
Page 21: Conclusion of Literature Overview
Clear patterns show how traditional family roles affect women’s mental health.
Page 22: Research Methodology
Method: Quantitative research focused on measuring and analyzing the interconnections among role overload, resilience, and life satisfaction.
Page 23: Research Sample Description
Participants: 200 mothers from Metro Manila, aged 30-50, dual caregivers.
Page 24-27: Instruments for Data Collection
Scales Used:
Role Overload Scale
Resilience Scale
Life Satisfaction Scale
Page 28: Reliability of Instruments
High internal consistency established for scales (Cronbach's alpha ranges).
Page 29-32: Data Collection Procedure
Pilot test and methods for ethical participation ensured data quality.
Page 33: Ethical Standards
Confidentiality and participant rights emphasized throughout the research process.
Page 34-36: Risks and Benefits
Managing participant discomfort and potential emotional stress through careful oversight.
Page 37: Participant Demographic Characteristics Summary
Detailed breakdown of respondents based on age, children, elderly parents, civil status, and income level.
Page 38: Findings on Role Overload
Average role overload: Moderate ratings indicating challenges faced by respondents.
Page 39: Descriptive Analysis of Role Overload Scores
Insights gained from evaluating scores for role overload, resilience, and life satisfaction.
Page 40-43: Data Interpretation and Analysis
Detailed demographics provide context to findings on role overload, resilience, and satisfaction levels.
Page 44: Correlation Results
Correlations Found:
Weak negative relationship between role overload and life satisfaction.
Strong positive correlation between resilience and life satisfaction.
Page 45: Further Analysis of Demographics
Variances in scores based on various demographic factors explored in detail.
Page 46: Synthesis
Implications of findings for understanding sandwich generation dynamics.
Page 47: Summary of Main Findings
Highlighting key relationships between role overload, resilience, and life satisfaction.
Page 48: Recommendations for Future Research
Need for larger, more diverse samples to validate findings and deepen understanding of these dynamics.
Page 49-55: Recommendations for Support Systems
Strategies for community and family support presented, advocating for healthy communication and relationship-building.
Page 56: Bibliography
Comprehensive list of cited works relevant to the study.
Appendix
Informed Consent Details
Questionnaires for Role Overload, Life Satisfaction, and Resilience assessments.