仕事・育児・介護の三者間のワーク・ファミリー・コンフリクトに関する研究

抄録

The number of families engaging in childcare and elderly care simultaneously is expected to rise, because there is a trend towards delayed marriage and child-bearing while the healthy life expectancy remains roughly stable. The questionnaire survey we conducted shows that there are people who are faced with all of the three activities of work, childcare, and elderly care. Those people often experience three-way conflict among those activities, which we call “WOP conflict,” because it involves work, the family of orientation, and the family of procreation. We conducted a series of interviews to identify the problems associated with people who are faced with all three activities. Some people who are faced with work, child care, and elderly care entrust one of the latter two to their spouses, and concentrate on balancing the remaining two activities. However, this can lead to strained human relations at work, in the family of orientation, or in the family of procreation. We argue understanding and cooperation from family members and colleagues help people who are faced with the WOP conflict. Close partnership with service providers including local governments also helps reduce burden on these people. For future work, we will continue to interview people who are faced with the three activities of work, childcare, and elderly care. We will also work towards identifying conditions that facilitate closer cooperation among the relevant entities including local governments.