Faculty Publications

Grandmothers And Their Granddaughters: Connected Relationships

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Adult granddaughters, Closeness, Grandmothers, Instrumental support, Intergenerational relationships, Relationship provisions

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Intergenerational Relationships

Volume

2

Issue

1

First Page

47

Last Page

61

Abstract

The present study applied Weiss’s theoretical framework to better understand interpersonal relationships between grandmothers and their young adult granddaughters. The questions that were of primary focus for the research addressed importance of the relationship provisions, predictors of relationship satisfaction, and variability in importance of closeness and instrumental support. The sample consisted of 48 grandmother-adult granddaughter pairs where the granddaughter was an undergraduate student at a Midwestern university. The Furman and Buhrmester Network of Relationships Inventory (NRI) was used to examine the relationships between grandmothers and their granddaughters. Grandmothers and granddaughters rated the perceived level of admiration, affection, reliable alliance, and relationship satisfaction higher in their relationship with each other than the other relationship provisions. Reliable alliance was rated as the highest relationship provision for grandmothers and granddaughters with the lowest rated being intimacy. The results of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses show that these intergenerational relationships vary along provisions of closeness and instrumental support when predicting relationship satisfaction. These results suggest that programs. designed to link generations of women should take into consideration the variability of their relationships. © 2004, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Department

Department of Design, Family and Consumer Sciences

Original Publication Date

4-5-2004

DOI of published version

10.1300/J194v02n01_04

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