[The parental maturity of elderly dependent parents. Contributions to a contextual definition]

This paper focuses on the conceptual exploration of the concept of parental maturity which has been introduced along with the concept of filial maturity to describe the dynamic optimal states of caring and being cared for in adult children and their dependent elderly parents. A review of the literature shows that the development of the concept, contrary to the concept of filial maturity, has hardly started. The concept refers to attitudes and conducts through which adults produce and educate their children in an optimal way, and continually support them in the accomplishment of their developmental tasks and roles when they are adults themselves. From this broad perspective parental maturity, or maturity in the parental role, is the dynamic capacity of an adult individual to engage oneself in an enduring way in the relationship with one's children and to accomplish the corresponding developmental tasks in an adequate and successful way. With a view to the improvement of the theoretical and clinical usefulness of the construct we introduce an elaborated conceptualization which is specific for elderly parents confronted with their impairment. The following is considered to be the core of the contextual definition: an enduring engagement in the intergenerational relationship with one's adult children in an empathetic and responsive way, with respect for the children's needs, limitations, abilities and autonomy, without degenerating into submission and loss of autonomy, which would be a (pathological) state of role reversal; the elderly guards his or her own continuing contribution to the intergenerational relationship. Based on these (general) mature parental attitudes a frail elderly parent would be able to endorse the filial responsibility of his or her middle-aged children. He or she is willing and able to ask for the help needed, in an uncompelling way. Furthermore, the frail elderly parent will receive the filial caregiving with some proper sensitive responsivity as well as accept what the children cannot give or do. Then, we shortly discuss how we want to operationalize parental maturity, with a view to empirical research, by means of the measurement of a complex of parental attitudes. Finally, we give some considerations regarding the historical-sociological context in which the phenomenon occurs.