When workers care: Dual-earner couples' caregiving strategies, benefit use, and psychological well-being

This study analyzes longitudinal survey data on dual-earner couples (N= 884) to assess individual- and couple-level effects of caregiving on changes in well-being. The authors draw on a life course, role context, and strategic selection theoretical framework to examine positive and negative effects of individuals' own caregiving transitions and their having a spouse engaged in caregiving on well-being. The authors find that (a) caregiving is associated with well-being declines for dual-earner women and well-being increases for dual-earner men; (b) women caregivers with flexible work arrangements report higher levels of well-being than caregivers without such arrangements, although the size of this effect is small; and (c) having a spouse involved in caregiving affects employee well-being, but in different ways for women and men.