Growing Up and Growing Old in Italian-American Families, 1975-1977

This study of Italian-Americans collected both qualitative and quantitative data to explore ethnic group membership as it is demonstrated through family organization.Three comparison groups were used to examine how family processes vary across ethnic backgrounds. Participants were either married Italian-Americans (74 wives and 26 husbands), married to Italian-Americans (98 wives and 23 husbands), or part of a Protestant control group (56 wives). All respondents were in their 40s and 50s and dealing with transitions of their children into adulthood and of their parents into old age. In addition to the three groups of middle-aged respondents, 66 Italians over the age of 65, 28 geographically mobile Italian-American families, and 43 community informants were included in the study to provide a description of Italian family life both in its traditional immigrant form and its contemporary organization.In total, 414 individuals from a northeastern city were interviewed on topics such as filial relationships, kinship solidarity, marital relations, and socialization practices. Interviews combined both structured and open-ended questions.The Murray Research Archive holds original record paper data and numeric file data for this study. Follow-up of these participants is possible if in collaboration with the Contributor