Current and Recollected Perceptions of Family Relationships: The Social Relations Model Approach Applied to Members of Three Generations

Data from 81 three-generation families (comprising 567 participants) were analyzed to assess perceptions of current-family and family-of-origin relationships. The dimensions studied (Restrictiveness, Justice, Affection, and Trust) were derived from the family systems theories as developed by Boszormenyi-Nagy ( I. Boszormenyi-Nagy & B. R. Krasner, 1986 ; I. Boszormenyi-Nagy & G. Spark, 1984 ; I. Boszormenyi-Nagy & D. N. Ulrich, 1981 ) and Stierlin ( H. Stierlin, 1974 , 1978 ; H. Stierlin, I. Rücker-Embden, N. Wetzel, & M. Wirsching, 1980 ). The social relations model (SRM) was used to disentangle the perception scores into characteristics of the perceiver (actor component), the target (partner component), and the family as a whole. For both current-family and family-of-origin relationships, significant variances of actor as well as family components were found. Empirical evidence for an association between current-family and (mother's) family-of-origin components was only found on the dimension of Restrictiveness. Clear differences were found between the means of current-family and family-of-origin perceptions, which could be explained by differences between current and past SRM components.