This study assessed longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships between work-family conflict, positive spillover, and depression in a national sample of 234 dual-earner couples. The authors also assessed crossover effects (i.e., the transmission of emotions, affect, or stress from 1 member of a dyad to another) of work-family conflict and positive spillover on spouses' depression. Two general findings of the study were that (a) positive spillover has a stronger impact on depression than does work-family conflict, and (b) the effects of spouses' positive spillover were more strongly related to decreased depression than were the effects of one's own positive spillover. Significant longitudinal effects were related to the crossover of positive spillover on decreased spouse depression.

Little research exists on the effects of the utilization of workplace supports on work-family conflict and job satisfaction. With family systems theory as a framework, 2 waves of national survey data were collected from 234 couples (N = 468) caring for children and for aging parents. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling techniques. Longitudinal results indicate that individuals' use of workplace supports was related to work-family conflict in the direction opposite to expectations and was related to job satisfaction in the direction consistent with expectations. Differential effects for wives versus husbands were found. In addition, couples' use of workplace supports was only minimally related to wives' outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of gender differences, family systems theory, and methodological and measurement issues related to the longitudinal study of utilization of workplace supports.

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Gender and relationship differences in caregiving (i.e., for a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, other relative, or friend) are investigated among a sample of employed caregivers (N = 2,174). No gender differences were found in the provision of 7 of 13 caregiving tasks, but women devoted more time and were more likely to be primary caregivers. After controlling for other key variables, relationship added modestly to the ability to predict all five measures of caregiving consequences, and gender further added nominally to the ability to predict three of the measures. The findings lend support to the gender-role socialization hypothesis (Miller & Cafasso, 1992) and suggest the targeting of services to caregivers of spouses and parents, especially female caregivers.

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When inequities occur in the division of labor among adult siblings caring for older parents, conflict may result. This paper uses equity theory as a framework for understanding the processes used by siblings to rectify imbalances in their parental responsibilities. The study is based on a sample of 40 focus group participants who described caregiving relationships among siblings. Consistent with equity theory, these participants used two approaches to redress inequities in their sibling caregiving relationships: requesting behavioral changes from siblings and making cognitive changes. The findings suggest that these two approaches can result in more perceived equity but may also lead to even greater perceived inequity and distress.

Some workers today are caring for family members at both ends of the life span-children and elders. This first national study specifically of dual-earner couples in the sandwiched generation examined their prevalence and their work and family characteristics and outcomes. Couples who were married or living together for at least 1 year who met additional study qualifications were identified using computer-assisted telephone interviewing; both members of 309 couples from across the United States independently completed mail surveys. Screening results indicated that between 9% and 13% of U.S. households contain adults aged 30 or over who work and who provide care to both aging parents and children. This paper (a) presents an overview of existing literature concerning the sandwiched generation; (b) describes key characteristics and outcomes for dual-earner couples caring for children and aging parents; (c) compares the findings for husbands and wives; and (d) discusses the implications of these findings both for future research and for current practice by managers.Maintaining a job while managing family responsibilities is a major challenge for much of today's workforce, and some workers are caring for family members at both ends of the life span-children and elders. Although research exists on these working couples and their caregiving responsibilities, very little is known about the work and family characteristics and outcomes of such individuals. Working couples caring for children and aging parents have been dubbed the sandwich or sandwiched generation (e.g.

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