The Social Relations Model in Family Studies: A Systematic Review

• Published in: Journal of marriage and family Vol. 71; no. 4; pp. 1052 - 1069
• Main Authors: Eichelsheim, Veroni I., Deković, Maja, Buist, Kirsten L., Cook, William L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-11-2009; National Council on Family Relations; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley
• Subjects: Automobiles; Children; Data analysis; Dyadics; Families & family life; Family; Family members; Family Relations; Family Relationship; Family Research; Family studies; Fathers; Individual Characteristics; Individual Differences; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonal Relationship; Literature Reviews; Mothers; Of General Interest; Parent Child Relationship; Parent-child relations; parenting; Parents; Personal relationships; Personality; Resistance (Psychology); Sexuality. Marriage. Family relations; Siblings; Social interaction; Social life & customs; Social Psychology; Social relations; Sociology; Sociology of the family. Age groups; Statistical variance; Studies; Systematic review; systems; Systems Approach; Trend Analysis; Social relationships; Data Analysis; Model; Family; Family relation
• ISSN: 0022-2445; 1741-3737
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2009.00652.x

The Social Relations Model (SRM) allows for examination of family relations on three different levels: the individual level (actor and partner effects), the dyadic level (relationship effects), and the family level (family effect). The aim of this study was to present a systematic review of SRM family studies and identify general patterns in the results. Results of reanalyses of 17 data sets showed that characteristics of the person who reports on the relationship and the unique characteristics of the relationship were most important explanations of differences in family relationships. The present systematic review contributes to a better understanding of who is driving relationship outcomes in families and provides suggestions concerning the application of the SRM to family data.