Bougea A, Despoti A, Vasilopoulos E
1st Department of Neurology, University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens.
Postgraduate Course Science of Stress and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens.
Psychiatriki. 2019 Oct-Dec;30(4):329-338. doi: 10.22365/jpsych.2019.304.329.
Τhe empty-nest syndrome is a transitional stage, when middle-aged parents are in the process of encouraging their children to take up their obligations as adults. The empty-nest syndrome is a psychological condition that affects both parents, who experience feelings of grief, loss, fear, inability, difficulty in adjusting roles, and change of parental relationships, when children leave the parental home. Τhis syndrome has gained special interest in a world where the current economic crisis has not only deepened global poverty but also a crisis of values reflected in the dynamic model of the family. The purpose of this review was to appraise the impact of psychosocial stress of the empty- nest syndrome on the parents' well-being through the years, during the current socio-economic crisis, taking into account gender, national and cultural background, socio-demographic and other context factors. We addressed the phenomenon of the "Boomerang Kids" and crowded nests as a result of current financial instability. Finally, we focused on the strategies which the family can employ to retain their resilience, according to the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping Family resilience framework and self-efficacy models. A literature review was conducted using web-based search engines provided by Medline, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane and PsychINFO. The term "empty nest syndrome'' was combined with women, men, economic crisis, parenthood, stress, menopause, midlife crisis, Boomerang kids, crowded nets, resilience, self-efficacy, wellbeing, and cultural differences. Women and men from diverse cultural groups have a different experience of the empty nest, as well as ways of coping. Distress caused by empty nest results in the incidence of symptoms of depression, behavioral symptoms and cognitive impairment. In most of studies, low marital quality and lack of social support affected negatively on a parent's well-being particularly for those experiencing the return of their "Boomerang kids". However, the financial crisis can transform an empty-nest into a "dynamic nest" by community health promotion services. Social support programs should be designed to strengthen family resource and improve family well-being.
空巢综合征是一个过渡阶段，在此期间，中年父母正鼓励子女承担起成年人的责任。空巢综合征是一种心理状态，当子女离开父母家时，父母双方都会受到影响，会经历悲伤、失落、恐惧、无助、角色调整困难以及亲子关系变化等情绪。在当前经济危机不仅加剧全球贫困，还引发家庭模式变化所反映的价值观危机的背景下，这一综合征引发了特别关注。本综述的目的是评估多年来，在当前社会经济危机期间，空巢综合征的心理社会压力对父母幸福感的影响，同时考虑性别、国家和文化背景、社会人口统计学及其他背景因素。我们探讨了“回巢族”现象以及当前金融不稳定导致的“拥挤巢穴”问题。最后，我们依据压力与应对的交易模型、家庭复原力框架和自我效能模型，重点关注家庭可采用的保持复原力的策略。通过使用由Medline、Scopus、Embase、Cochrane和PsychINFO提供的基于网络的搜索引擎进行了文献综述。搜索词为“空巢综合征”，并与女性、男性、经济危机、为人父母、压力、更年期、中年危机、回巢族、拥挤巢穴、复原力、自我效能、幸福感和文化差异相结合。来自不同文化群体的女性和男性对空巢有不同的体验以及应对方式。空巢导致的痛苦会引发抑郁症状、行为症状和认知障碍。在大多数研究中，低婚姻质量和缺乏社会支持对父母的幸福感有负面影响，尤其是对于那些经历“回巢族”回归的父母。然而，金融危机可通过社区健康促进服务将空巢转变为“活力巢穴”。应设计社会支持项目以增强家庭资源并改善家庭幸福感。
