Long-Term Influences of Intergenerational Ambivalence on Midlife Parents' Psychological Well-being

We investigated changes in midlife parents' intergenerational ambivalence toward a focal child and its influence on their psychological well-being over 14 years, as the focal child moved from adolescence into young adulthood. We estimated growth curve models using three waves of data from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 1,510 parents aged 35 - 54 years at Time 1). Parental ambivalence declined over time, equally among mothers and fathers. The prediction from ambivalence theory that children's attainment of adult statuses reduces parental ambivalence received only modest support. Only the focal child's marriage reduced parental ambivalence. The focal child's lifestyle - behavioral problems during adolescence still elevated ambivalence 14 years later, albeit less so. For its part, intergenerational ambivalence counteracted trends toward declining depressive symptoms and greater happiness for mothers and fathers alike, and its effects remained constant over time. Key Words: ambivalence, growth curve analysis, intergenerational relations, midlife, well-being, youth/emergent adulthood. Midlife and older parents commonly experience ambivalence - simultaneous positive and negative sentiments - in relationships with their adult children (Birditt, Fingerman, & Zarit, 2010; Fingerman, Pitzer, Lefkowitz, Birditt, & Mroczek, 2008; Pillemer & Suitor, 2002; Pillemer, Suitor, Mock, Sabir, Pardo, & Sechrist, 2007). Ambivalence in intergenerational relationships is likely to vary over the life course, as parents and children redefine their roles (Connidis & McMullin, 2002; Luescher & Pillemer, 1998; Willson, Shuey, Elder, & Wickrama, 2006). It is apt to be elevated in parent - adolescent relationships, as parents and children negotiate the contradictions between children's growing autonomy and their continued dependence (Aquilino, 2006; Collins & Laursen, 2006; Proulx & Helms, 2008). Yet little is known about the extent or sources of ambivalence at this stage of family life (Wethington & Dush, 2007) or how it may change as children become young adults. Ambivalence interests scholars because of its importance for understanding parent -offspring relationships (e.g., Bengtson, Giarrusso, Mabry, & Silverstein, 2002; Connidis & McMullin, 2002; Luescher & Pillemer, 1998) and also because of its connection to well-being. Ambivalent relationships are stressful (Uchino, HoItLunstad, Smith, & Bloor, 2004), so it is not surprising that greater ambivalence toward adult children is associated with higher psychological distress among older parents (Fingerman et al., 2008; Katz, 2009; Pillemer, 2004). Its impact on parents' psychological well-being at earlier stages in the life course remains to be investigated. Using data from a large national sample, we conducted a longitudinal study of how and why parents' ambivalence changes as parents move through midlife and one child (a "focal child") moves from adolescence into young adulthood. In addition, we investigated how ambivalence influences midlife parents' psychological wellbeing over time. Because of reported variations across mother- child and father- child relations (Proulx & Helms, 2008; Rossi & Rossi, 1990), the analyses probed for gender differences as well. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND Intergenerational Ambivalence The inevitable contradictions in social relationships give rise to ambivalence (Luescher & Pillemer, 1998). Psychologically, ambivalence involves simultaneously having positive and negative sentiments about a relationship with another person. It may include feeling torn or of two minds (Pillemer & Suitor, 2002), viewing a relationship as both supportive and stressful (Fingerman, Chen, Hay, Cichy, & Lefkowitz, 2006), or simultaneously experiencing solidarity and conflict in a relationship (Bengtson et al., 2002). Sociologically, ambivalence originates in social structure: Roles often create pressures by specifying contradictory expectations for behavior (Merton & Barber, 1976). …