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The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences Advance Access published online on January 27, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, doi:10.1093/geronb/gbn001
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Within-Family Variability in Representations of Past Relationships With Parents

Adam Davey1, Corinna Jenkins Tucker2, Karen Fingerman3 and Jyoti Savla4

1 College of Health Professions, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2 Department of Family Studies, University of New Hampshire, Durham, North Carolina
3 Department of Child Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lateyette, Indiana
4 Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg

Address correspondence to Adam Davey, PhD, College of Health Professions, 1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 313, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19121. Email: adavey{at}temple.edu


  Abstract

Background.: We examined within-family variation in siblings’ memories of experiences with parents and their associations with current positive and negative affect.

Methods.: Participants were 1,369 adults with at least 1 sibling, aged 26–74 years from 498 families in the MacArthur Study of Midlife in the United States (Mage = 47 years, 59% women, 94% White).

Results.: There was considerable variability in recalled maternal and paternal treatment across the dimensions of affection (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs] 0.33 and 0.41, respectively), discipline (ICCs 0.39 and 0.43), and conflict (ICCs 0.24 and 0.26). In turn, recalled parental treatment, particularly affection, made unique contributions to current positive (ICC 0.12) and negative affect (ICC 0.08) over and above individual and familial level characteristics such as offspring demographic characteristics, extraversion and neuroticism, family structure, recalled early family environment, and parents’ current status.

Conclusions.: Results link adults’ memories of experiences with their parents in childhood to their current well-being and highlight the importance of considering within-family models for family theory.

Key Words: MIDUS • Negative affect • Positive affect • Recalled parental treatment • Siblings • Within-family

Received October 8, 2007; Accepted September 16, 2008

Decision Editor: Jacqueline L. Angel, PhD


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