Autonomy and interdependence in the family of adulthood: A psychological perspective. The Gerontologist

Popular discussions of family life in contemporary society have provided a rather bleak characterization of a social institution believed to be more fragile and disorganized than in past times. Although continuing personal ties with other family members is under-stood as important in tempering the impact both of role strain and overload and also of adverse life events, it has been maintained that urban life is in-consistent with the maintenance of such family ties. Detailed studies of relations within the modified ex-tended family characteristic of urban society, how-ever, have shown high rates of contact across genera-tions, together with acknowledgement of mutual obligations perceived as important by family mem-bers. Consideration of the role of adult family life as a factor determining personal adjustment reveals a dual paradox. The first results from the use of psychological formulations concerning the develop-ment of the mother-infant bond as the basis for por-traying relations within the family of adulthood. These psychological formulations stress the impor-tance of attaining personal autonomy and self-reliance for continuing adjustment in ways which are inconsistent with the extent of mutual caring and interdependence actually reported among adults within the family. A second paradox results from the assumption that older family members may feel par-ticularly isolated from continuing family ties. Not only do reports of life within the multi-generation family contradict this assumption but, ironically, the very continuing obligations and responsibilities which are incurred by older family members across adulthood may be experienced as adversely affecting morale after midlife. Indeed, the most important contribution of these family ties to personal adjust-ment across the second half of life may well be sup-port of personal autonomy rather than the inter