Ambivalence in family caregivers for older people: Emotion-theoretical views

Ambivalences in family caregivers for older people are analysed from an emotion-theoretical point of view and the benefits of this approach are delineated. The topic is confined to psychological ambivalence as an experience of the individual with a special emphasis on emotional ambivalence as co-presence of positive and negative emotions about the various aspects of adult children’s care provision. The stage for understanding mixed emotions in this context is set through a description of the multi-facetted nature of the caregiving situation: (1) Various difficulties of the older parent (e.g., diseases, problems with activities of daily living, suffering), (2) multiple tasks of the caring adult child (e.g., skilled nursing, help with daily activities, emotional support provision), and (3) several gains and losses for the older person and the caring child. The generation of positive and negative emotions is analysed from a cognitive point of view according to which emotions toward caregiving arise from subjective appraisals of the various facets of the caregiving situation. These appraisals are, in turn, conceived to consist in comparisons between what adult children desire and what they believe with respect to the caregiving situation. Fulfillments of such desires are assumed to lead to positive emotions (joy, pride, admiration, etc.) and frustrations of such desires are assumed to result in negative emotions (sadness, pity, guilt feelings, etc.). Because adult children have multiple desires (e.g., own welfare, welfare of old parent, welfare of other relatives) and multiple beliefs about the caregiving situation, various combinations of positive and negative emotions and thus ambivalences are expected and described. This kind of analysis is further applied to emotional ambivalences about “big care decisions” (e.g., initiating nursing home admission) and “small care decisions” (e.g., taking a care off-time over the weekend). In concluding, heuristic benefits of this emotional-theoretical approach are summarized: Options for a refined description, measurement, understanding and management of emotional ambivalences in the context of intergenerational caregiving.