Intergenerational Interactions and Relationship Quality: A Daily Study Among Mothers and Their Adult Children

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Family Studies
• Psychology

Background:

• The parent-child relationship is a critical, long-lasting bond, especially adaptive during public health emergencies.
• Limited research exists on how daily support exchanges impact relationship quality between aging parents and adult children during crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between daily support exchanges and relationship quality in mother-adult child dyads during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To examine the roles of perceived underbenefit, support provision, and support receipt on relationship satisfaction and trust.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-seven mother-adult child dyads participated, reporting daily support exchanges and relationship quality (satisfaction, trust) for 14 days.
• Data were collected during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Main Results:

• Perceived underbenefit was linked to lower relationship satisfaction in children and lower trust in both mothers and children.
• Increased support provision and receipt on a given day were associated with higher relationship satisfaction for both mothers and children.
• Receiving more support, but not providing more, was linked to greater trust in both mothers and children.

Conclusions:

• Daily reciprocity and support exchanges are crucial for maintaining relationship quality between aging parents and adult children during public health emergencies.
• Findings underscore the adaptive significance of ongoing mutual support in family relationships during times of crisis.