Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2018 Sep 20;73(7):1203-1213. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbw094.
Relationships between fathers and their children are salient to both parties throughout the life course. Yet little is known about how these ties may affect well-being in later life. This study examined the implications of aging fathers' and middle-aged children's perceptions of father-child relationship quality for their own and the other party's well-being.
Using a sample of 103 fathers (M = 77.88 years) and their children (M = 49.92 years) drawn from Wave 1 of the Family Exchanges Study, we estimated actor-partner interdependence models to evaluate associations between each party's perceptions of father-child relationship quality and their well-being.
Fathers had elevated depressive symptoms when they reported more negative relationships with children. This association was exacerbated for fathers of daughters when daughters reported a highly negative relationship. Fathers had better self-rated health, however, when they reported more positive relationships with daughters. Children had elevated depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction when they reported more negative ties with fathers. Finally, sons had lower depressive symptoms when they reported more positive ties with fathers.
Findings suggest that father-child relationship quality has significant implications for the well-being of both aging fathers and middle-aged daughters or sons.
父亲与子女之间的关系在整个生命周期中对双方都很重要。然而，人们对这些关系如何影响晚年的幸福感知之甚少。本研究考察了衰老父亲和中年子女对亲子关系质量的看法对他们自己和对方幸福感的影响。
本研究使用来自家庭交流研究第一波的 103 名父亲（平均年龄 77.88 岁）和他们的子女（平均年龄 49.92 岁）的样本，我们估计了演员-伙伴相互依存模型，以评估每个参与者对亲子关系质量的看法与他们幸福感之间的关联。
当父亲报告与子女的关系更负面时，他们的抑郁症状会升高。当女儿报告与父亲的关系非常负面时，这种关联会加剧。然而，当父亲报告与女儿的关系更积极时，他们的自我健康评估会更好。当子女报告与父亲的关系更负面时，他们的抑郁症状和生活满意度会降低。最后，当儿子报告与父亲的关系更积极时，他们的抑郁症状会降低。
研究结果表明，亲子关系质量对衰老父亲和中年女儿或儿子的幸福感都有重要影响。
