Cultural contexts differentially shape parents' loneliness and wellbeing during the empty nest period.

ABSTRACT: The coming decades will see a substantial increase in the population of older adults, accompanied by significant demographic and family structure changes worldwide. As a result, the empty nest period-the postparental phase in parents' lives when their children have left home and they are no longer engaged in childrearing-is becoming an increasingly common experience in Western and Asian cultures. The current theoretical review examines the psychological consequences of the empty nest period on loneliness and well-being across cultures, emphasizing the impact of cultural factors on these experiences. By synthesizing research from Western and Asian contexts, we explore two primary theoretical mechanisms-role loss and role strain relief-that shape the postparental phase's psychological outcom

SUBMITTER: Hartanto A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11532363 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature