Presentation Schedule
Burden-Avoidance Consciousness in Japan: Conformity Pressures in Midlife and the Well-Being Paradox in Later Life (105542)
Session Chair: Hiromi Asano
Thursday, 26 March 2026 09:25
Session: Session 1
Room: Room 707 (7F)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Help-seeking behaviors in later life strongly influence health and well-being. This study examined age-related differences in factors associated with meiwaku consciousness—the desire not to be a burden to others—which may be shaped by cultural conformity norms in Japan. An online survey was conducted in February 2025 with 500 middle-aged adults (40-64 years) and 300 older adults (65-81 years). Participants rated the importance of not burdening close others (family/friends) versus acquaintances/strangers. Multiple regression analyses explored associations with conformity values, subjective well-being, and life satisfaction.
For middle-aged adults, valuing conformity, defined as wanting to be “normal and the same as others,” was significantly associated with burden-avoidance toward both close others and acquaintances/strangers. Being female and having lower life satisfaction also predicted stronger burden-avoidance toward acquaintances/strangers.
For older adults, conformity was not a significant factor. Instead, a paradoxical pattern emerged: higher subjective well-being and lower life satisfaction were both associated with not wanting to be a burden. This suggests competing psychological mechanisms. Maintaining independence supports dignity and self-esteem, enhancing subjective well-being. However, the physical and emotional demands of complete self-reliance may lower practical life satisfaction.
These findings highlight distinct age-related processes shaping burden-avoidance. Among middle-aged adults, conformity pressures appear central, whereas in later life, burden-avoidance reflects the tension between preserving dignity and coping with increasing functional challenges. Therefore, interventions should be age- and context-sensitive, reframing help-seeking as compatible with autonomy and quality of life.
Authors:
Tomoko Ikeuchi, Takachiho University, Japan
About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Tomoko Ikeuchi is currently an Associate Professor of Human Sciences at Takachiho University in Tokyo, Japan.
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