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As more working parents juggle the demands of employment, childcare, and elder care, faculty research at William Paterson University is helping to clarify how those pressures affect mental health—and why some parents experience greater strain than others.
Deniz Yucel, professor of sociology at William Paterson University, co-authored research that takes a distinctive approach to understanding psychological well-being among employed parents. Rather than examining caregiving demands as a single burden, the study distinguishes among different caregiving situations and considers how strongly parents identify with their professional roles.
Using data from a national sample of employed parents in the United States, Yucel and her co-author examined caregiving across three groups: parents caring for typical children, those caring for children with special needs or medical fragility, and those caring for both a child and an elder—often referred to as the “sandwich generation.”
What makes the research especially impactful, Yucel notes, is its focus on work-role salience—the degree to which individuals prioritize their work identity relative to their family role—and how that orientation shapes mental health outcomes.
“We found that this factor—work-role salience—strongly shapes how caregiving demands relate to mental health outcomes, with notable differences by gender,” Yucel explains. “Women who place greater significance on their professional role than their family role are more likely to suffer pronounced psychological consequences.”
Persistent societal expectations that women should take on most caregiving responsibilities can intensify this strain, particularly for those who are deeply invested in their careers, Yucel adds.
The study also found clear differences across caregiving groups. Parents with typical childcare responsibilities reported the lowest levels of psychological distress. Parents in the sandwich generation experienced the highest distress, followed closely by those caring for children with exceptional needs.
These findings carry growing significance as workforce and demographic trends continue to shift. More than 72 percent of married U.S. mothers were in the labor force as of 2023, and the U.S. population age 65 and older continues to grow rapidly. As a result, more than half of Americans in their forties are now part of the sandwich generation, according to the study.
“Many working parents today, particularly mothers, are facing far more pressure to balance childcare, elder care, and employment demands than previous generations in the U.S.,” Yucel says. “Paying closer attention to the unique experiences of these workers is critically important.”
Yucel notes that employers can play a meaningful role by expanding supports such as remote work options, paid caregiver leave for both child and elder care, and counseling resources tailored to caregivers.
Her research reflects William Paterson University’s ongoing commitment to faculty scholarship that addresses pressing social and workforce issues, offering insights for employers, policymakers, and families navigating increasingly complex caregiving responsibilities.
The study, “Extra Caregiving Demands, Work-Role Salience, and Psychological Distress Among Employed Parents,” appears in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.
