Family carers as service producers – insights into psychological contracts
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21537431 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Marjo Ring (0000-0003-0171-3187, University of Eastern Finland), Minna Kaarakainen (0000-0003-0614-5318, University of Eastern Finland, corresponding author), Sanna Laulainen (0000-0003-3163-8376, University of Eastern Finland), Sari Rissanen (0000-0002-9882-7991, University of Eastern Finland) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 51 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 488-500 |
| Publication date | 2025-05-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Educational Gerontology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0360-1277 • E-ISSN: 1521-0472 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/03601277.2024.2401734 |
| OpenAlex | W4402566166 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 44 |
Family carers and caregiving have a role in the service system but family carers are often invisible and go unnoticed in society. In this article we are interested in family carers as service producers in health and social care. We analyze family care using the concept of a psychological contract. A psychological contract is an unspoken, unconfirmed and unwritten agreement where an exchange is based on perception rather than what is explicitly written and agreed. A psychological contract shapes family carers’ expectations and obligations, while providing a concept for understanding their work. The data were analyzed via theory-driven content analysis. Research question is: what are the features of a psychological contract in a family carer ́s work? Data were collected from Finland in 2015. Ten family carers, aged between 64–78 years, who take care of their spouses were interviewed. A psychological contract involves the normative and mental schema of the carers, which direct what kind of care they feel they should provide as a spouse and carer. The psychological contract also guides what kind of support the carers may be willing to accept. The psychological contract clearly shows that family carers are primarily spouses rather than service providers. The concept of the psychological contract provides a workable frame to describe the relationship between family carers and the service system. This study enables the development of family care support services for the needs of family carers
Business · Psychological contract · Child Welfare and Adoption · Family Business Performance and Succession · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Psychology · Social Psychology · Marketing
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |