title: Ambivalence Toward Adult Children: Differences Between Mothers and Fathers.
abstract: The authors examined how ambivalence toward adult children within the same family differs between mothers and fathers and whether patterns of maternal and paternal ambivalence can be explained by the same set of predictors. Using data collected in the Within-Family Differences Study, they compared older married mothers' and fathers' (N = 129) assessments of ambivalence toward each of their adult children (N = 444). Fathers reported higher levels of ambivalence overall. Both mothers and fathers reported lower ambivalence toward children who were married, better educated, and who they perceived to hold similar values; however, the effects of marital status and education were more pronounced for fathers, whereas the effect of children's value congruence was more pronounced for mothers. Fathers reported lower ambivalence toward daughters than sons, whereas mothers reported less ambivalence toward sons than daughters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, Cornell University, G44 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 ( kap6@cornell.edu ).
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pillemer
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Cornell University, 323 Uris Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853.
authors.forename: Christin L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Munsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin, WARF 707, Madison, WI 53726.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuller-Rowell
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, Cornell University, G44 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riffin
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology/Center on Aging and the Life Course, 700 Stone Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
authors.forename: J Jill
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Suitor
keywords: ambivalence; families in middle and later life; intergenerational relations; parent – child relations