Mothers-in-law's and daughters-in-law's perceptions of interpersonal interaction

This dissertation was an exploratory, descriptive study of mother-in-law/daughter-in-law interpersonal interaction. The purpose of the study was to identify factors contributing to situational and psychological dimensions of relational interdependence.;Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 53 mother-in-law/daughter-in-law pairs. A factorial design structured the composition of the sample. Four eligibility requirements were: the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law from the same family had to be interviewed; the relationship had to be a primary relationship (i.e., a first marriage for the daughter-in-law and her husband); the in-laws had to reside within a 45 minute automobile ride of one another; and the in-laws could not be permanent residents of the same household. The following factors, having two levels, also determined participation in the study: whether the daughter-in-law had or did not have children; the length of time the daughter-in-law was married; and, the age at which the daughter-in-law married. The sample was comprised of women who were white, well educated, middle class, and resided in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York. The respondents ranged in age 21 to 81.;The majority of the respondents assessed the quality of the relationship to be good to excellent and characterized the relationship as parent-child; friendship; associate; or, extended family. The most frequent response for mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law was "associate." Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law held different perceptions about the qualitative nature of their relationship and there were within-pair differences in the assessment of the relationship.;Three conclusions were drawn: mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law did not share the same definitions and perceptions of the in-law relationship; the role definitions of "mother-in-law" and "daughter-in-law" were connected to the process of accommodation and acceptance of family membership and expansion within the broader context of the American kinship system; and, although the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship is a dyadic bond, it is continually being impacted by the implicit and explicit presence of the son/husband. Thus, the triadic nature of the dyadic relationship was a powerful psychological factor impacting the quality of in-law interpersonal interaction.