ABSTRACT
On the basis of empirical evidence, family sociologists pointed out that the extended family maintains cross-generational cohesion (Bengtson, 2000) and, in contemporary society, the nuclear family had retained most of its functions in partnership arrangements with formal organizations (Litwak, 1985; Litwak, Silverstein, Bengtson, & Hirst, 2003). A basic question is: does the quality of life of aged family members depend on the quality of their intergenerational family relations? Findings on the topic are mixed and several inconsistencies remain unresolved with regard to quality of life determinants (Fernandez-Ballesteros, Zamarron, & Ruiz, 2001).
