Young Adult Children of Mothers Coping with Mood Disorders: Maternal Relationship Quality, Family Stigma, and Psychological Well-Being

Author(s):  
Kevin Walker ◽  
Catherine H. Stein
Author(s):  
Haowei Wang ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Jeffrey A Burr ◽  
Kira S Birditt ◽  
Karen L Fingerman

Abstract Objectives Parents often provide advice to their adult children during their everyday interactions. This study investigated young adult children’s daily experiences with parental advice in U.S. families. Specifically, the study examined how receiving advice and evaluations of parental advice were associated with children’s life problems, parent–child relationship quality, and daily mood. Methods Young adult children (aged 18–30 years; participant N = 152) reported whether they received any advice and perceived any unwanted advice from each parent (parent N = 235) for 7 days using a daily diary design (participant-day N = 948). Adult children also reported their positive and negative mood on each interview day. Results Results from multilevel models revealed that adult children who reported a more positive relationship with their parents were more likely to receive advice from the parent, whereas adult children who had a more strained relationship with their parents were more likely to perceive advice from the parent as unwanted. Receiving advice from the mother was associated with increased positive mood, whereas unwanted advice from any parent was associated with increased negative mood. Furthermore, the link between unwanted advice and negative mood varied by children’s life problems and parent–child relationship quality. Discussion Indeed, parental advice is not “the more the better,” especially when the advice is unsolicited. This study highlights the importance of perceptions of family support for emerging adults’ well-being.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 75-75
Author(s):  
Heejung Jang

Abstract For the increasing number of grandparent caregivers, relationship quality with adult children has important implications for the well-being of grandparents. Based on solidarity, conflict, and ambivalence, the present study examines how parent-adult children's relationships differ by grandparent caregiving status on depressive symptoms and psychological well-being. This study uses The 2014 Health and Retirement Study from a sample of 1,197 grandparent caregivers age 51 and older. Latent class analysis is applied to measure affection and conflict in older grandparents-adult children relationships. Results from the latent class analysis identified four clusters: amicable, ambivalent, detached, and disharmonious. OLS regression models are estimated the association between relationship types and depressive symptoms and psychological well-being by grandparent caregiving. For the depressive symptoms, disharmonious relationships with adult children increase depressive symptoms among co-parenting and custodial grandparents. Also, ambivalent and disharmonious relationships with adult children reduce the psychological well-being of older grandparents. The study discusses the variances of the relationships with adult children and their effects on grandparents’ well-being. The results will shed light on the importance of familial relationships and will be beneficial for the development and maintenance of policies and practices that support the families of grandparent caregivers.


Author(s):  
Becky Marquez ◽  
Tanya Benitez ◽  
Zephon Lister

AbstractLittle is known of how intergenerational acculturation discrepancy relates to communication skills differences that may influence relationship quality among parents and adult children. Mexican–American mother–daughter dyads (n = 59) were studied using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model to examine dyadic associations of acculturation and communication competence with family functioning and mediation analysis to determine the indirect effect of acculturation discrepancy on family functioning through communication competence differences. Communication competence of mothers exerted significant actor and partner effects on daughter-perceived cohesion and closeness. Higher acculturation discrepancy predicted greater communication competence difference which in turn was associated with lower cohesion and closeness. There was a significant indirect effect of acculturation discrepancy on daughter-perceived cohesion through communication competence difference. Communication competence of mothers impacts their own as well as their daughters’ perceptions of dyad cohesion and closeness. Intergenerational discrepant acculturation contributes to discordant communication skills that impair family functioning, which has implications for psychological well-being.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S324-S324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soohyoung r Lee

Abstract Even though the coresidence of older parents and their adult children is no longer a rare phenomenon in current society, a little is known about the benefit of living with adult children from older adults’ perspectives compared to the risk of this living situation. Previous research suggests that older adults’ psychological well-being is low when they live with their adult children, and this become more salient among single parents, such as widowed or divorced. The current paper utilizes the National Health Measurement Study with a sample of age 55 and over, and their SF-36 Mental Health Component score, and psychological well-being self-acceptance score was measured. Path analysis reveals while mental health and psychological well-being scores are lower among single older adults at the time of the survey (e.g., divorced, widowed) than non-single, coresidence of older adults and adult children completely mediates the negative relationship between being single and both mental health psychological well-being. A complete mediation effect of living with an adult child on older adults’ mental health and psychological well-being is consistent with both white and non-white minority older adults. This suggests that living with adult child benefits older adults’ mental health and psychological well-being. The current study seeks to stimulate ideas that might generate the next answer to community-based care in our current aging society.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S944-S945
Author(s):  
Eunbea Kim ◽  
Danielle K Nadorff ◽  
Rachel Scott ◽  
Ian T McKay

Abstract Increased life expectancy and the diversity of family structure have resulted in a substantial rise in the number of families with grandparents as the main caregivers (e.g. custodial grandparents). The structures of these families affect the well-being of all family members. After middle age, psychological well-being is associated with marital relationship quality, and raising one’s grandchildren is a known source of strain to relationships. The current study examined adults aged 40 and older (M age = 57.6 yr, 53% female) using a nationwide sample from MIDUS to assess the extent to which custodial grandparenting status influences marital affectual solidarity, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and perceived stress. Measures included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Index, Spousal Affectual Solidarity, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. Marital affectual solidarity was significantly related to custodial status and psychological well-being, and there were significant differences in marital relationship quality and psychological well-being between custodial grandparents and non-custodial grandparents. However, custodial status failed to moderate the relation between marital affectual solidarity and mental health. Although other factors surrounding custodial grandparents likely affect their marital relationship and mental health, these results suggest that grandparents raising grandchildren are under particular strain in their marriages and are in need of targeted interventions to ameliorate stress and depressive symptoms. These findings will inform the need for more research and supportive educational programs on family relationships and the psychological health of custodial grandparents.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document