Objective This study investigated dyadic associations between religiosity and marital quality among Korean middle-aged couples, focusing on actor and partner effects by religious tradition.Background Although religiosity has been linked to marital quality, prior research has relied largely on individual-level data and Western Christian samples. Less is known about how multiple dimensions of religiosity operate within couples in non-Western societies.Methods Using data from 520 religiously homogamous Korean baby boomer couples in the 2014 Korean Baby Boomers Panel Study, we estimated actor-partner interdependence models (APIM). Religious commitment and religious activities were examined as predictors of spousal support and strain across Buddhist, Protestant, and Catholic couples.Results Dyadic associations between religiosity and marital quality varied by gender, dimension of religiosity, and religious tradition. Husbands' religiosity exhibited more consistent actor and partner effects than that of wives. Religious commitment was more strongly associated with spousal support and strain than religious activities. Protestant couples exhibited the most pronounced dyadic associations, Buddhist couples showed strain-related patterns, and Catholic couples displayed more limited associations.Conclusion Religiosity appears to function as a gendered and relational process in marriage rather than a uniform individual resource, with its marital implications shaped by religious tradition and form of engagement.Implications These findings underscore the value of dyadic and multidimensional approaches to religiosity in family research and suggest that relationship-focused interventions and faith-based programs for later-life couples may benefit from attending to gender and religious differences.
ABSTRACT Objective This scoping review synthesizes research on family transformation in Zimbabwe (2010–present), mapping trends in family change, methodologies, and thematic foci. Background Zimbabwean families evolved due to socioeconomic crises, migration, and COVID‐19, necessitating changes related to caregiving, family resilience, and family dynamics. Method Using the Briggs framework, 72 peer‐reviewed articles, dissertations, and book chapters were analyzed to identify research designs and themes. Results Dominant themes include linkages between families and migration; marriage; caregiving; family resilience; COVID‐19 disruptions; and dysfunction displacing children/youth. Studies predominantly used qualitative methods, with urban geographic bias. Gaps persist in paternal roles, disability‐inclusive and non‐traditional families, and digital practices. Conclusion The review calls for methodological innovation (e.g., digital qualitative tools, AI) and addressing geographic and thematic imbalances to align with contemporary global family studies. Implications Future research should utilize SDGs (1.5 and 10) as a robust evaluative framework to study and mitigate structural family inequities, prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration, and target understudied virtual caregiving spaces to inform inclusive policies supporting vulnerable families.
ABSTRACT Objective This study investigated the mental health of middle‐aged and older Chinese couples following care dependency trajectories. Background Although cross‐sectional studies have investigated the relationship between care dependency and depressive symptoms, longitudinal research examining this relationship and gendered patterns among couples remains limited. Method Group‐based trajectory modeling identified care dependency and depressive symptom trajectories. Multinomial regression examined the relationship between the care dependency trajectories of couples and depressive symptom trajectories of their spouses. Depressive symptoms were compared among couples in which both partners experienced care dependency. Results Three trajectories were identified for care dependency based on both activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) (stable minimal, moderately increasing, and highly increasing) and for depressive symptoms (stable minimal, moderately persistent, and highly persistent). Moderately or highly increasing care dependency trajectories were associated with a higher risk of moderately or highly persistent depressive trajectories, consistently observed for both husbands and wives. Partner effects were more pervasive for IADL‐based care dependency, whereas ADL‐based partner effects were primarily observed in cases with highly increasing trajectories, indicating that cross‐spouse associations differed by functional domain and the severity of trajectory. Conclusion There is a significant association between the trajectories of care dependency and depressive symptoms across waves. Implications Given that the trajectories of care dependency and depressive symptoms mirror one another, interventions and policies should treat the couples as a unit and prioritize support for individuals with ADL‐ and IADL‐based care needs to prevent the adverse mental health consequences of functional decline.
ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS) into European Portuguese among family/friend carers (FC) of chronic respiratory diseases (CRD). Background CRD often lead to dependence on FC who become key players for the daily management of this population. Nevertheless, FC often feel unsupported and unprepared. The PCS assesses FC preparedness, but it is not adapted into European Portuguese. Method The Beaton et al. guidelines were followed. Content validity was assessed using the content validity index (CVI) method. The Item‐CVI, the Scale‐CVI/Average, the content validity ratio and the modified kappa were computed. Results Translation and back‐translation were performed by independent translators. The agreed translated version was assessed by an expert committee of 19 native European Portuguese speakers and pretested with 16 FC. The Item‐content validity index (CVI), Scale‐CVI/Average, CV Ratio and modified kappa were adequate, 0.79–1.00, 0.94–0.98, 0.58–1.00, 0.79–1.00, respectively. FC confirmed its comprehensibility, clarity, readability, self‐meaning, relevance and mode of administration. Conclusion The final PCS version seems suitable to assess FC preparedness for CRD care in Portugal. Implications The PCS may now be used to identify areas where FC might need support. Further studies to establish its measurement properties are needed.
This study examined Finnish parents' willingness to seek informal and formal family support, the barriers to doing so, and identified distinct support profiles based on perceived availability of informal and formal family support. It also explored how these profiles relate to background factors and parental well‐being. Social support is essential for parental well‐being and children's development. Understanding the variability in family support profiles and the reasons parents may not seek help is critical for improving support systems. An online survey was completed by 915 Finnish parents (89% mothers). Nearly 20% of parents were unlikely to seek either informal or formal support. Common barriers included: (a) limited access to services, (b) a sense of sole responsibility for childrearing, (c) doubts about relatives' competence, and (d) a preference for informal over professional help. Four support profiles emerged: high overall support (55.1%), low formal support (19.3%), low informal support (17.2%), and low overall support (8.4%). Profiles with low support were more common among fathers and parents with lower socioeconomic status, and they were associated with reduced well‐being. The findings underscore the importance of accessible formal family services and strengthening informal networks to support parental well‐being in Finland.
