Informal caregiving and leisure satisfaction among middle-aged married women in South Korea: The mediating role of leisure sufficiency

This study investigated the association between informal caregiving and leisure satisfaction among middle-aged married women in South Korea, with a particular focus on the mediating role of perceived leisure sufficiency. We used nationally representative data from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families to classify women in their 40s and 50s into childcare, parental care, and dual-care groups. We then analyzed differences in their leisure experiences. Mediation analyses revealed that greater working hours, household chores, and caregiving responsibilities were associated with lowered leisure sufficiency, which was in turn associated with lowered leisure satisfaction. Weekday caregiving exerted the strongest indirect effects, while dual caregivers faced the most severe negative outcomes, highlighting the compounding pressures of caring for both children and aging parents. These findings contribute to the literature on time use and subjective well-being by highlighting perceived leisure sufficiency as a potential mediating factor linking time demands and subjective well-being in midlife. The results have implications for caregiving policy design in aging societies worldwide, suggesting that flexible work arrangements, integrated care services, and emotional support systems are needed to alleviate the compounded burdens faced by caregivers.