Abstract
This study aimed to clarify that how daughters-in-law accepted their responsibility as home caregivers to their elder parents-in-law, and what kind of conditions enhanced their continuous dedication. The study method was the semi-structured interview and three women participated to the study. They intended to obey to socially accepted role model that daughter-in-law should had taken care of her parents-in-law, which was a gender issue that her husband was excused from the responsibility. Reciprocal norm was also found: they also intended to recompense the parents-in-law because the parents-in-law took care of their husbands and children in the past. In addition to those, a perception that other people took similar responsibility was told by the interviewees. As to the conditions that enabled them to continue being caregivers, it was found that, attachment to the parents-in-law, being appreciated by others including the parents-in-law, having power of decision on care-giving and prospects how long they had to take the responsibility. I found that these factors and conditions were not always indispensable and some compensated lack of others factors and conditions. Although it has recently been said that social norm toward daughter-in-law became less strict than before, it still considerably influenced over them.
