Patterns of age-related communication in families: A three-generation study

This study examined how older family members' communication about age-related issues predicts younger family members' age-related communication. Grandchildren were classified as solemn, media-related engaged, and bantering agers. Parents were classified as disengaged, gloomy, engaged, and bantering agers. Grandparents were classified as gloomy, engaged, and bantering agers. Relative to families with engaged grandparents, families with gloomy grandparents were (a) more likely to include gloomy parents, and (b) less likely to include solemn grandchildren. Relative to families with engaged grandparents, families with bantering grandparents were less likely to include solemn grandchildren. Findings are discussed in terms of the intergenerational transmission of age-related communication habits and the theoretical importance of examining moderators that might qualify the links between age-related communication in future research. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.