This research involves a 10-year follow-up of three-generation families, and the launching of 18-month time-series assessments, to examine the impact of family support on health-related crises. The major research questions are: (1) How does family support (reflected in six aspects or """"""""solidarity"""""""") change over time? (2) To what extent are there changes in measures of mental health (seen in individual resources of incapacity that imply effective functioning) in the early, middle and later years of adulthood? (3) What is the relationship between family social support and mental health over time? Does the positive cross-sectional relationship between these two variables continue to be mainfest in longitudinal assessments; how does family solidarity at one point in time predict coping with and adaptation to health-related crises that occur subsequently? Data to be collected will come from respondents to a 1973 study involving 516 elderly parents (G1, average age 67), their 701 middle-aged children or children-in-law (G2, average age 42 in 1973), and their 846 grandchildren (average age 19). The 1973 (T-1) data were obtained from two lengthy (1-1/2 hour) questionnaires mailed to members of three-generation families, sampled from membership lists of a large (840,000) prepaid medical health plan. It is estimated that 1,782 individuals and 303 primary G1-G2-G3 triads will have survived since 1973; an estimated 622 additional G3 spouses will yield a total sample of 2,416. These will be the T-2 and T-3 survey recipients. Two types of data will be collected and analyzed. The quantitative data will be comprised of comparable questionnaire batteries to enable 10-year (T-1 vs. T-2) and 18-month (T-2 vs. T-3) contrasts. Qualitative data (clinical/in-depth interviews) from families experiencing health crises (n=45) and matched controls (n=25) will focus on the process of family adaptation to health crises. Both types of data will reflect these constructs of family solidarity: self-concept; life events; depression; locus of control; health-related crises; and perceived changes in family relations.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH038244-05
Application #
3376559
Study Section
(LCRB)
Project Start
1983-09-01
Project End
1988-08-31
Budget Start
1987-09-01
Budget End
1988-08-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Type
Organized Research Units
DUNS #
041544081
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90033
Hurwicz, M L; Durham, C C; Boyd-Davis, S L et al. (1992) Salient life events in three-generation families. J Gerontol 47:P11-3
Stacey, C A; Gatz, M (1991) Cross-sectional age differences and longitudinal change on the Bradburn Affect Balance Scale. J Gerontol 46:P76-8
Gatz, M; Hurwicz, M L (1990) Are old people more depressed? Cross-sectional data on Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale factors. Psychol Aging 5:284-90