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Different Types of Childhood Experience With Mothers and Caregiving Outcomes in Adulthood
Author(s) -
Kong Jooyoung,
Martire Lynn M.,
Tate Ashley M.,
Bray Bethany C.,
Almeida David M.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
family relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1741-3729
pISSN - 0197-6664
DOI - 10.1111/fare.12511
Subject(s) - psychology , affection , latent class model , perspective (graphical) , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , mental health , psychiatry , social psychology , statistics , mathematics , artificial intelligence , computer science
Objective and Background The current study examines the types of childhood experiences with mothers (i.e., maternal abuse, affection, discipline) among caregivers of aging mothers and investigates whether membership in specific latent classes, particularly maternal maltreatment, is associated with psychological functioning among caregivers. Method Using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), we used the Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars approach of latent class analysis to predict distal outcomes. Results We identified four latent classes (prevalence rate noted): “Affectionate and authoritative” (65%), “affectionate and permissive” (11%), “emotionally abusive and neglectful” (8%), and “emotionally/physically abusive and authoritative” (16%). Caregivers in the “emotionally/physically abusive and authoritative” class endorsed high probabilities of both maternal affection and abuse and were most negatively affected across the three psychological functioning outcomes (i.e., self‐rated mental health, psychological distress, and psychological well‐being). Conclusion In support of the life course perspective, our findings emphasized the importance of examining adult children caregivers' early life experiences with aging mothers and how those experiences can impact the psychological effects of caregiving. Implications This study suggests specific practice implications; for example, assessment tools for evaluating caregiver burden should consider life course factors, such as caregivers' childhood experiences with aging parents.