Obligations in Japan: A three-year longitudinal study of midlife adults

Abstract

Obligations embody a sense of responsibility toward others. Middle-aged adults may particularly feel obligated to many close others, from their parents to children, for instance. Previous studies suggest mixed findings on whether obligations benefit well-being and relationships. Accounting for the cultural context and different types of obligations can help explain the mixed findings. We examined obligations in 371 middle-aged adults living in Japan, using two waves of data from the Midlife in Japan (MIDJA) study. Factor analyses suggest three factors underlying obligation: light and substantive obligations to close others and public obligations to the broader community. Controlling for baseline outcomes, we examined whether obligation predicted changes in psychological and relational well-being over 3 years. Most associations between obligation and outcomes were non-significant. However, light obligation predicted less strain from friends over time (β = −0.21, p = 0.03), and substantive obligation predicted greater life satisfaction (β = 0.20, p = 0.035). Public obligation did not significantly predict any well-being or relational outcomes. Implications for research are discussed.