IntroductionMarried working women in the UAE increasingly live at a distance from extended family, whose caregiving and emotional support functions they can no longer draw on.MethodsFifteen married working women in Abu Dhabi and Dubai were interviewed and analysed via six-phase thematic analysis, guided by Social Support Theory and Role Strain Theory.ResultsFour themes emerged: sustained emotional strain; coping strategies that helped but did not resolve the deficit; organisational support dependent on individual managers rather than policy; and cultural expectations that did not adjust to reduced resources.DiscussionFamily distance operates as a cascading process intensified by collectivist cultural meaning, extending both frameworks beyond their Western origins.