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Fathers and young-adult children: factors affecting relationship strength

Until recently, most parent-child research has focused on the mother-child dyad or the father-infant or young child relationship. The present study investigated strengths of the father-young adult relationship with respect to the following variables: individuation, intimacy, intimidation, age, marital status, gender and birth order. College students at a large mid-Atlantic university and their fathers completed instruments regarding the above aspects of their relationship. The instruments administered were the Personal Authority in the Family System Questionnaire (PAFS-Q) and the Family Assessment Measure (FAM-III). Correlation, analysis of variance, and step-wise multiple regression were used for statistical analysis. Results indicated that fathers and young-adult children had significantly different perceptions of the dyadic relationship strength. There was a strong relationship between intergenerational individuation and intimacy with relationship strength. Birth order proved to be a significant factor in the assessment of intimacy, intimidation and relationship strength. Individuation and intimacy were the only variables that explained a Significant percentage of variance in dyadic relationship strength. Explanations for the findings, therapeutic implications, and suggestions for future research were explored. / Ph. D.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38993
Date28 July 2008
CreatorsWashle, Edwin J.
ContributorsFamily and Child Development, Keller, James F., Protinsky, Howard O., Benson, Mark, Maxwell, Joseph W., Impara, James C.
PublisherVirginia Tech
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeDissertation, Text
Formatviii, 133 leaves, BTD, application/pdf, application/pdf
RightsIn Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
RelationOCLC# 24230618, LD5655.V856_1990.W377.pdf

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