title: Intergenerational relationship quality across three generations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies of intergenerational relationship quality often include one or two generations. This study examined within-family differences and similarities or transmission of positive and negative relationship quality across three generations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 633 middle-aged individuals (G2; 52% women, ages 40-60 years), 592 of their offspring (G3; 53% daughters; ages 18-41 years), and 337 of their parents (i.e., grandparents; G1; 69% women; ages 59-96 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multilevel models revealed differences and similarities in relationship quality across generations. The oldest generation (G1) reported greater positive and less negative quality relationships than the middle (G2) and the younger (G3) generations. There was limited evidence of transmission. Middle-aged respondents who reported more positive and less negative ties with their parents (G1) reported more positive and less negative ties with their own children (G3). Grandmother (G1) reports of more positive relationship quality were associated with G3 reports of more positive relationship quality with G2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings are consistent with the intergenerational stake hypothesis and only partially consistent with the theory of intergenerational transmission. Overall, this study suggests that there is greater within-family variability than similarities in how family members feel about one another.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48104, USA. kirasb@umich.edu
authors.forename: Kira S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Birditt
authors.forename: Lauren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tighe
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Fingerman
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zarit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology; D005195:Family Relations; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult