Baylor University Professor Examines Caregiving Experiences of Adult Daughters During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“Daughtering” is a concept that refers to the way adult daughters contribute to their parents and other familial relationships. Alison M. Alford, clinical associate professor in the School of Business at Baylor University, has recently published a new report that examines how adult women’s experiences with daughtering are altered during and after a major life-disruption, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

After interviewing a sample of adult daughters, Dr. Alford found several common themes among the participants’ experiences with daughtering roles and how those roles were impacted by the pandemic. The participants frequently reported an ongoing need to adjust their daughtering roles throughout the pandemic, including adding new responsibilities such as organizing digital communications and delivering groceries. They also reported a need to remain flexible and ready to address the pandemic’s unexpected crises at a moment’s notice, resulting in additional mental and emotional stress.

However, the participants still reported feeling a sense of familial duty and wanting to prioritize their daughtering roles despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic. Furthermore, the participants frequently stated the pandemic caused them to reflect on their relationships with their parents, examine their family boundaries, and redefine their role responsibilities.

Dr. Alford offers three suggestions for how families and society can better support adult women in their caregiving responsibilities; acknowledging daughtering as labor, outsourcing caregiving responsibilities when applicable, and expressing meaningful gratitude towards adult daughters.

Dr. Alford earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, where she studied international studies, journalism, and French. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Texas at Austin.