ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a broad overview of the two primary theories that have been used to better understand the relationships between work and family: role theory and systems theory. It integrates these theories and the available empirical work-family research to develop the conceptual model. The chapter highlights what is known about the prevalence of the sandwiched generation as well as the social and demographic trends. It examines positive as well as negative outcomes of combining work and family roles and refer to these constructs together as indicators of work-family fit,. The chapter describes the research pertaining to those variables that are part of the conceptual model. It briefly identifies some additional variables, and provides basic descriptive information on several of them for the purpose of providing a broader description of dual-earner couples in the sandwiched generation. The chapter reviews the objective and subjective role characteristics that are included in our conceptual model of dual-earner couples in the sandwiched generation.
