台灣社會正處新舊交替的過渡期，傳統與現代價值觀互相影響。傳統媳婦角色是個沒有聲音的人，卻肩負著家庭和諧的重擔，具有文化期待下的強大約束力；但在社會變遷下，年輕婦女的教育程度和就業率提高，對媳婦在家庭中的權力型態影響重大。本研究在這樣的文化脈絡下開啟，探討當家裡有長者需要長期照顧時，「媳婦」角色在家族中所受到的期待，以及她們如何去知覺這些期待，進一步化成行動在家庭照顧工作中表現出來。研究結果探討了家人對媳婦身為家庭照顧者的期待、媳婦身為家庭照顧者的內在處境，以及媳婦成為家庭照顧者後對公婆/媳婦關係的影響，並歸納出照顧工作中「義務性的看護關係」、「親密性的照顧關係」、「扶持性的互助關係」、「權力性的從屬關係」等四種關係結構；其中「親密性的照顧關係」與「扶持性的互助關係」的真有之情大於應有之情；「義務性的看護關係」與「權力性的從屬關係」應有之情大於真有之情。最後提出四點結論：（一）媳婦角色的文化期待受傳統孝道價值觀轉變的影響，家庭中不同角色的文化期待之呈現也隨之不同。（二）考量媳婦在家庭照顧中的文化處境，家庭成員宜以「照顧者同盟」的概念取代「主要照顧者」。（三）家庭照顧工作會使公婆/媳婦關係產生質變，其他家庭成員的態度中立與支持將有助此質變之正向發展。（四）對家庭照顧者的期待宜隨著家庭關係結構的不同而有所調整。

This study explores the expectations on the role “daughters-in-law” play in theirfamilies when there are elder people who need to be taken care of, how they perceivethese expectations, and how their perception further turns into actions when doingfamily care tasks. This study also discusses family members’ cultural expectations ondaughters-in-laws when they play the role of caregivers, positions of daughters-inlawsas home caregivers in their families, and influences of daughters-in-laws ashome caregivers on parents-daughters-in-law relations. And 4 relationship structuresof care tasks are summarized, including “obligatory nursing relationship”, “intimatecaring relationship”, “supportive helping relationship”, and “power dependencyrelationship”. Among them, the true affection of “intimate caring relationship” and“supportive helping relationship” is over the due affection of them, while the dueaffection of “obligatory nursing relationship” and “power dependency relationship” isover the true affection of them. Lastly, this study comes up with 4 conclusions: (1)The traditional filial piety has been changing. And the value of it has changed with it.(2) The concept of “caregiver alliance” has replaced “main caregiver”. (3) For thedifference between the demands of caregivers and those being cared, other familymembers rather keep neutral. (4) Expectations on family caregivers change with thestructure of family relationship.