Key Terms

boomerang child

young adult child who returns to live with their parents after a period of living independently

caregiver burden

potential negative psychological, social, and financial impacts of providing unpaid care for family members

compensatory model

perspective that predicts that individuals will seek out and use positive interactions within one relationship or role to counterbalance the negative effects or missing benefits from another relationship or role

defense mechanism

psychological strategy to manage anxiety and stress triggered by developmental challenges

egalitarian marriage

marriage in which responsibilities are shared equally between partners, and roles are not prescribed according to traditional gender role stereotypes

empty nest

household of parents whose adult children have left the parental home to live independently

eudaimonic happiness

happiness derived from a perceived sense of purpose or meaning in life

family of choice

individuals who are not necessarily related by marriage or biology but have formed a committed kin-like network to play significant roles in each other’s lives

family systems theory

perspective that family dynamics are best understood as part of a complex and developing family unit, rather than as singular individuals or dyadic relationships

generativity

according to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, the middle adulthood challenge to find satisfaction through mentoring or care of others

gray divorce

divorces among couples after age fifty years

launching

process during which children transition from dependence on their parents into independent young adults

role enhancement

when people experience role expansion as rewarding

role expansion

increase in the scope of behaviors, positions, and responsibilities expected of a person

role strain

when the increased responsibilities associated with occupying multiple roles result in a decline in subjective well-being

spillover model

perspective that predicts the emotions generated by interactions within one relationship or environment can spread into other interactions or environments, creating a positive correlation among a person’s mood and behaviors across separate relationships or roles

stagnation

according to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, the unwillingness or refusal of generativity in middle adulthood