Examining young adults’ emotional labor as a form of relational load with parents

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined the power of young adults’ resilience to help deter emotional labor with parents and examined emotional labor as a mediator predicting decreased relational satisfaction. Young adults (N = 257) completed an online questionnaire. Results demonstrated an inverse relationship between their resilience and emotional labor with parents, and showed that emotional labor may function as a type of relational load, helping to explain why young adults with decreased resilience may also experience decreased relational satisfaction with parents. Guided by the theory of resilience and relational load, this study contributes to a better understanding of resilience and emotion work in family communication.