Mother-Adult Daughter Discussions of Caregiving Prior to Dependency: Exploring Conflicts Among European-American Women

Abstract

Thirty-six mother-adult daughter dyads discussed potential caregiving decisions prior to the mother's dependency. Their interactions were coded for exhibited conflict, use of control strategies, level of involvement in the discussion, and regard for each other. In addition, they reported their use of conflict strategies when having a disagreement with each other. Less than 40% of these dyads exhibited a disagreement. Mothers with high nonconfrontation scores were less involved in these discussions, suggesting that they may be less involved in order to avoid disagreements. Daughters' involvement was associated with the interaction between their mothers' control scores and their own solution-orientation scores. Daughters whose mothers used fewer control strategies were more involved, suggesting that less controlling mothers may be giving tacit approval for their daughters' involvement in seeking mutually acceptable solutions. Mothers' and daughters' level of positive regard and the conflict styles exhibited during these discussions were not associated with their reported use of conflict strategies with each other.Conflict is a natural and inevitable part of life, helping to not only define how people are supposed to act toward one another but relationships themselves (Lulofs & Cahn, 2000). Close, personal relationships, such as those in the fam-

INVITED ARTICLE: As Family Members Age: A Research Agenda for Family Communication

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Life Problems and Perceptions of Giving Support: Implications for Aging Mothers and Middle-Aged Children

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Applications of the Theory of Natural Selection to the Study of Family Communication

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