Ambivalence in Mother-Adult Child Relations: A Dyadic Analysis

• Published in: Social psychology quarterly Vol. 69; no. 3; pp. 235 - 252
• Main Authors: Willson, Andrea E., Shuey, Kim M., Elder, Glen H., Wickrama, K. A. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA American Sociological Association 01-09-2006; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: Adult Children; Adults; Aging; Ambivalence; Attitude Measures; Behavior Standards; Biological and medical sciences; Children; Children & youth; Couple and family; Daughters; Dyadic relations; Dyadics; Dyads; Family; Family (Sociological Unit); Family Relationship; Family Structure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Helping Relationship; Income; Interactionism; Interpersonal Communication; Interpersonal Relations; Interpersonal Relationship; Interpersonal relationships; Marital Status; Mother-Child relationships; Mothers; Older Adults; Parent Child Relations; Parent Child Relationship; Parent Role; Parents; Personal relationships; Physical Health; Proximity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Relatives; Resistance (Psychology); Resource Materials; Social Organizations; Social psychology; Social relations; Social sciences; Social Structure; Sociology; Sons; Universities; United States > US; Iowa; Human; Affect affectivity; Ambivalence; Social interaction; Dyadic relation; Family environment; Adult; Familial relation; Emotion emotionality; Mother child relation
• ISSN: 0190-2725; 1939-8999
• DOI: 10.1177/019027250606900302

The concept of ambivalence represents an interactional process in which individuals evaluate social relations as simultaneously positive and negative. This study investigates ambivalence in interpersonal relations through an empirical analysis of relationships between aging mothers and their adult children from their joint perspectives. Multilevel models examine the influence of dependence on levels of ambivalence in relationship dyads as well as differences in levels of ambivalence between mothers and their adult children. Results suggest that ambivalence increases under conditions of potential dependence, rather than through the help that is more routinely exchanged among family members. Within the relationship, mothers experienced less ambivalence than their sons and daughters; overall findings demonstrate the importance of analyzing multiple perspectives in social relationships.