Predicators for Parent-Child Cohesion
:Examining from Three-generational Family Relationship

Usami,T., Wakashima,K., KOzuka,T., Itakura,N. & Ikuta,M
20th Anniversary Conference, International Academy of Family Psychology,
May 13-16, 2010 Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia USA.

　　　　　What factors predict parent-child relationship? There are many indications that marital relationship and parent-child relationship are closely linked together (i.e.Erel & Burman, 1995). Moreover, findings regarding the effect of grandparent-parent (G1-G2) relationship on quality of grandparent-child (G1-G3) bond (i.e. Fingerman et al., 2004) indicate that family relationship should be better understood with three generations. Despite the growing number of findings regarding three-generational family relationship, most of the studies were relied on the data drawn from G1 generation and the focus of the studies was to examine mediating role of G2 for G1-G3 relationship.

　　　　　Therefore, in the present study, we used the data drawn from G2 generation to examine the predicators for parent-child bonds (G2-G3) from three generational family relationships which include G1 generation as influential family factor.

Participants

Data were drawn from 125 Japanese mothers (G2). The mean age of the participants was 42.44(SD±8.37).

Measures

We used following concepts as indexes for three-generational family relationship.

Cohesiveness- Cohesiveness was measured for each subsystem by single item.
Power- Power was also measured for each subsystem bi-directionally by two items; for instance, two items measuring power relationship for father-child subsystem were father’s power over child and child’s power over father.

Results

We conducted multiple regression analyses on both father-child and mother-child bonds (G2-G3). All power items and all cohesion items except one chosen as the criterion valuable (father-child cohesion or mother-child cohesion) were entered as the predicators.

The analysis showed that mother-child cohesiveness was predicted by the father-child (G2-G3) cohesiveness (β=.41，P<.001)，consanguine grandfather - mother (G1-G2)  cohesiveness (β=.52，P<.001), mother to child (G2→G3) power (β=.31，P<.01), grandfather-in-law to mother(G1→G2) power(β=-.24，P<.05), and grandfather-in-law - father (G1-G2) cohesiveness (β=-.24，P<.05). R2 is .44 (P<.05).

The analysis showed that father-child (G2-G3) cohesiveness was predicted by the father-mother (G2-G2) cohesiveness (β=.36，P<.001)，mother - child (G2-G3) cohesiveness (β=.35，P<.001), grandmother of father - child (G1-G3) cohesiveness (β=.28，P<.01), and child to father (G3→G2) power (β=.20，P<.05). R2 is .52 (P<.001).

Discussions

The results demonstrated that father-child (G2-G3) cohesiveness seems to be more predicted by the quality of subsystems within father-mother-child triad than mother-child cohesiveness. Mother-child bond, however, seems to be more influenced by own family of origin. Regarding the influence from parents’ family of origin, our study found that both mother and father bonds with their child can be influenced only from their own family of origin; mother-child tie are related with mother’s family of origin and father-child tie are related with father’s family of origin.

(Abstract)

Predicators for Parent-Child Cohesion: Examining from Three-generational Family Relationship 

This paper will present the predicator for parent-child cohesion from three-generational family relationship. The predicators for parent-child bonds will be examined with each dyadic cohesion and dyadic power relationship in three-generational family relationship.