Motives for Parental Caregiving and Relationship Quality

This study examines the connections between obligatory and discretionary motives for caregiving and relationship quality for caregiving daughters and their dependent older mothers. The vast majority of 174 elderly dependent mothers and their caregiving daughters believed daughters were caregiving primarily for discretionary reasons. Women who noted that daughters' motives were not highly discretionary reported lower intimacy in their relationships and mothers in this group said they had received care for more years than mothers who reported highly discretionary motives. The need for support in families wherein care is given from other than discretionary motives is discussed.