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Negotiating dyadic identity between caregivers and care receivers
Harriet V Coeling1, Diana L Biordi, Saundra L Theis
1113 Henderson, College of Nursing, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA. hcoeling@kent.edu
Summary
Caregivers and care receivers develop a shared identity by negotiating relationship rules. Successful negotiation fosters a good care experience, while failure can cause strain.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Caregiving relationships involve complex dynamics between caregivers (CGs) and care receivers (CRs).
- Understanding how these dyads negotiate their roles is crucial for effective care.
- Previous research has not fully explored the negotiation of dyadic rules within caregiving relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how caregivers and care receivers negotiate rules for their relationship.
- To understand how these negotiated rules impact the integration of care into their lives.
- To propose a theory of caregiver-receiver dyadic identity development.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study of 60 informal caregiver-care receiver dyads in the Midwestern United States.
- Data collected through in-home interviews with separate researchers interviewing CGs and CRs.
- Qualitative content analysis used to analyze interview data.
Main Results:
- A theory of caregiver-care receiver dyadic identity development was formulated.
- Mutually agreed-upon dyadic rules are essential for developing a shared caregiving identity.
- Three archetypes of dyadic relationships were identified based on identity immersion: full immersion, role retention, and role rejection.
Conclusions:
- Negotiation is a critical component of successful dyadic care relationships.
- Developing negotiation skills for caregivers and care receivers is important.
- Further research is needed to validate and expand the theory of dyadic identity development and its outcomes.