Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42185864›Full record

ArticleBMC women's health2026

The lived experiences of female only-child caregivers in transnational settings.

Zihan Dang, Charles E Basch

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC women's health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Zihan DangDepartment of Health Studies and Applied Educational Psychology, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY, 10027, USA. zd2172@tc.columbia.edu.
Charles E BaschDepartment of Health Studies and Applied Educational Psychology, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY, 10027, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChina's One-Child Policy created only-child daughters solely responsible for aging parents. For those abroad, caregiving is further complicated by distance, immigration rules, and cultural expectations. Little is known about how these women manage cross-border caregiving.

objectivesThis study examines the experiences of only-child Chinese daughters in the United States as they care for aging parents across borders.

methodsGuided by the Meaning-Making Model, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 married, only-child daughters aged 30-45. Each had provided remote care for at least one year. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsThree central findings emerged. First, caregivers redefined what it means to be present, capable, and filial, compensating for physical distance with increased attentiveness, emotional availability, and reciprocal support. Second, these women experienced and managed conflicting emotions, balancing their personal goals with deeply held filial expectations. Third, uncertainty and anticipatory grief strongly influenced their decisions on traveling, career advancement, citizenship choices, and care arrangements, highlighting how planning for future needs is an ongoing, emotionally charged process.

conclusionsTransnational caregiving among only-child Chinese daughters is both emotionally complex and shaped by cultural expectations. This study introduces anticipatory caregiving to describe the future-oriented emotional and logistical work that defines long-distance care. These insights show that transnational caregiving is not just a set of tasks. It is a unique psychological and cultural experience that demands new, tailored support.

Indexed as

Adult ChildrenCaregiversAdultChinaFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMiddle AgedUnited StatesFemale caregiverOnly-child caregiverTransnational caregiving

Identifiers

PMID42185864
PMCPMC13386826

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.