Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Decision-making influence strategies and relationship quality among elderly mothers and their caregiving daughters

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/v405sc83t

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  • It is well established that family members, particularly adult children, are involved in their frail parents' decision making. It remains unclear however, how intergenerational decision-making influence is exercised and how it relates to personal and relationship characteristics. This study examined the impact of decision-making strategies and a mother's level of dependence on her daughter on perceived relationship quality as measured by intimacy. The purposive sample consisted of 64 pairs of elderly mothers and their caregiving daughters. Face-to-face interviews explored the connections of various decision-making influence strategies, demographic characteristics, and relationship quality. Mother's level of dependence on her daughter for assistance was measured by a list of 53 caregiving tasks and activities. A series of four multiple regression analyses was used to predict relationship quality from the decision-making influence strategies (i.e., option-seeking, overt negative, covert negative, positive) used by elderly mothers and their caregiving daughters and mother's level of dependence on her daughter. The factors that were most predictive of mothers' perceived intimacy were: (a) mothers' reported use of positive decision-making strategies (e.g., asking partner how she feels, imagining her feelings) and mothers' reported use of fewer covert negative strategies (e.g., ignoring the need for a decision, withholding support); and (b) daughters' reported use of fewer overt negative strategies (e.g., showing anger, irritation, criticizing). The factors that were most predictive of daughters' perceived intimacy were: (a) daughters' reported use of fewer overt negative strategies (e.g., showing anger, irritation, criticizing); (b) daughters' reported use of positive influence strategies (e.g., asking partner how she feels, imagining her feelings); and (c) mothers' reported use of positive strategies (e.g., asking how she feels, trying to imagine her feelings). Mother's level of dependence on her daughter was not found to be predictive of mothers' or daughters' perceived intimacy. These results as well as recommendations for future research and practice are presented.
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