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Browsing Department of Sociology by Author "Bell, Linda G."
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Item Accuracy of Retrospective Reports of Family Environment(Springer Nature, 2018-04) Bell, David C.; Bell, Linda G.; Sociology, School of Liberal ArtsRetrospective reports of family environments are often the only way to collect data concerning the influence of a child's experience in the family on later development. However, the accuracy of retrospective measures can be problematic because of social desirability or potential failures of memory. The purpose of this study is to compare retrospective and prospective measures of family environment. In this unique study, 198 parents and 241 adolescent children (mean age 15.7) described their family environment, and then 25 years later completed retrospective reports. We test the effects of memory, positivity, gender, and generation on retrospective reports, as well as testing the ability of prospective and retrospective measures to predict adult well-being and adult-child/elder-parent relationships. Results show moderate correlations of .30 - .45 between prospective and retrospective measures. In examining the relative effectiveness of prospective and retrospective measures to predict later life outcomes, we find that retrospective reports of the family environment most validly capture influences on the child in domains of strong emotional content but are less successful in cognitive domains.Item A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Marriage from Midlife to Later Life(American Psychological Association, 2018-03) Bell, Linda G.; Harsin, Amanda; Sociology, School of Liberal ArtsThis prospective longitudinal study explores the relationship between marital functioning at midlife and in later life as measured by global coding of marital interaction process. Couples participated in home interviews at midlife, then again 25 years later. During home interviews at both waves couples completed a questionnaire describing their family, then discussed differences of opinion about the family. Marital system variables were coded by trained coders from taped discussions. Coded measures of the marital interaction supported a relationship between midlife and later life marriage. Connection at midlife was positively related to warmth/support and clear interpersonal boundaries in later life; more connection at midlife was also related to less depression in later life. More individuation at midlife was associated with less conflict in later life. Evidence was also found for enhanced marital functioning in later life: more warmth/support, clearer interpersonal boundaries, more comfort with differences, and less covert conflict.