Affection across generations: A within -family test of the Intergenerational Solidarity Model

For nearly four decades, Bengtson’s Intergenerational Solidarity Model has dominated research on older families. Yet, research testing this model has been limited by reliance on perceptions of individuals and dyads, rather than most or all family members. In this study, I sought to answer three questions: (1) Is there empirical support for conceptualizing solidarity as a family, rather than a dyadic construct; (2) what predicts family-level solidarity; and (3) does family-level solidarity affect mothers’ psychological well-being or receipt of support from adult children? Using data on 350 mother-child dyads nested within 115 families from the Within-Family Differences Study (WFDS-1), I developed a measure of family-level affectional solidarity which takes into account reports from multiple family members. I found high levels of affectional solidarity in only one-quarter of the families, suggesting that previous studies have overestimated the prevalence of family solidarity. Multivariate analyses revealed that predictors and consequences of maternal solidarity differ from those of dyadic relations. These findings call into question major assumptions underlying much of the research drawing upon Bengtson’s Intergenerational Solidarity Theory