Using data from the 2004 wave of the National Long-Term Care Survey, we examined how negative and positive caregiving experiences differ by caregivers' gender and relationship to care recipients. We further considered how their caregiving experiences are affected by caregivers' demographic characteristics, care recipients' problem behavior and…

African American mother-child dyads (N = 99) were observed interacting on a collaborative puzzle exercise. Raters blind to the purpose of the study rated the dyads on several mother and child behaviors. Mothers of daughters were rated as more empathetic, encouraging, warm, and accepting and less negative than mothers of sons. Male children were…

On the basis of a qualitative study of 31 grandparents, this article highlights how separation in the middle generation can result in an erosion of trust and quality of paternal grandparent-grandchild relationships. Notwithstanding these changes, grandparents endeavor to support and remain involved in the lives of their grandchildren by, inter…

The psychological well-being of fathers of children with developmental disabilities remains poorly understood. The present study examined depressive symptoms, pessimism, and coping in fathers of adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome (DS;n = 59), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs;n = 135), and Fragile X syndrome (n = 46). Fathers of sons or…

Examined the process of exit from farm businesses of a group of older farmers (N=315) and determined the relationship between goals of family succession and behaviors in the exit phase. Found a sequence of exit from work, management, and ownership with farmers who valued continuity being most likely to involve sons in management of the operation.…

Examined extent to which adult sons were incorporated into support network of older rural fathers (N=56). Results revealed that sons played relatively minor role in support network of older fathers as seen through helping and moderately active role through association. Association could be explained through proximity. (Author/NB)

Studied personality change in 34 men across the transition to parenthood to determine if measurable change in men's personalities coincides with adoption of father role, and whether this change is mediated by actual involvement in fathering. Fathers' level of involvement with sons was correlated with decreased self-esteem; level of involvement…

In an exploratory, qualitative study of 16 daughters- and sons-in-law and their 16 spouses, 4 patterns emerged that highlighted the differences in their motivation for involvement in caregiving. Differences related to notions of obligation, reactive versus pro-active involvement, managerial roles in the family, and the differences in the impact of…

Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that parental distress would mediate relations between parental lifetime alcohol and physical health problems and child behavior problems. Results indicated that sons of parents with alcohol and physical health problems are at elevated risk for behavior problems, partly related to…

National Survey of Families and Households 1987-88 (n=13,017) data were used to generate population estimates of in- and out-of-household caregiving. More than one in seven U.S. adults reported caring for relatives or friends during the previous year. Predictors of caregiving likelihood were gender, age, marital status, education, ethnicity,…