Sh. Matthews et J. Heidorn, MEETING FILIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN BROTHERS-ONLY SIBLING GROUPS, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 53(5), 1998, pp. 278-286
Objectives. This research examined how sons in brothers-only sibling g
roups meet the needs of their elderly parents. Methods. 49 pairs of br
others without sisters whose parents were 74 years of age or older par
ticipated in open-ended interviews to explain how their parents' needs
were met. Inductive analysis of interviews identified elements of the
se brothers' approaches. Results. Brothers were in routine contact wit
h and performed ''masculine'' services for their parents. Brothers act
ed independently and expected to be asked rather than volunteering hel
p to their parents, except during times of crisis and transition. They
defined their parents as self-sufficient, even when their parents' si
tuations were precarious, and acted to reestablish their parents' inde
pendence when it was threatened. They viewed their parents' use of inf
ormal networks and formal services as appropriate. Brothers' wives pro
vided ''gender-appropriate'' services. Wives' levels of involvement ap
peared to be a function of the quality of their relationships with the
ir parents-in-law. Wives who helped were part of a support network. Di
scussion. Brothers' goals of maintaining or reestablishing independenc
e for their parents matches most parents' wishes to be independent and
not to burden their children. The brothers' goal of self-sufficiency
for their parents precluded their wives being the sole providers of su
pport to their parents.