Women’s “Intersectional” Generatinal Identity In A Family And Their Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

The significance of the phenomenon of "intersecting" family identity (sandwich generation syndrome) is revealed. It is shown that the intersection of role duties associated with the simultaneous care of children and elderly parents reflects the psychological essence of this phenomenon. Its consequences for the development of the personality of women, including family burnout, are described. The conjugacy of “intersecting” family identity and components of psychological well-being is analyzed. The results of empirical studies of the features of the structure of the psychological well-being of women with overlapping family identity, the specifics of family burnout and the features of their role self-identification are presented. The such components of well-being as managing the surrounding and one’s own life (the “architect of life”), the meaningfulness of goals in life are central. Self-esteem and susceptibility / immunity to new life experiences in the structure of the components of psychological well-being, are those components that are associated with its positive or negative dynamics. It is noted also, that the family burnout in women mostly represented by emotional exhaustion, which is due to the feeling of lack of personal time. It is shown that the specificity of psychological well-being and family burnout of women with “intersecting” identity is associated with their role self-identification in the family — either Guardian and Adult together, or Child itself. It is also noted that the women with a clear self-identification of themselves as a guardian, an adult in relation to both their children and parents, demonstrate higher levels of psychological well-being.