Adults’ Perceptions of Their Mothers: A Life-Span Analysis

The test-retest reliability and factorial validity of a newly constructed Parent Perception Inventory were assessed in Study 1. In Study 2, possible age-related trends in adults’ perceptions of their living mothers were evaluated. In this study 79 women and 57 men between the ages of 20–29, 30–39, and 40–64 described their mothers on the Parent Perception Inventory which measured individuation, idealization, and competency of mother; the semantic differential which measured evaluation, potency, and activity dimension of mother; and in response to an open-ended question, which dealt with perceived cognitive complexity of mother. One finding was that the process of individuation is not completed during adolescence but rather continues throughout life. Other findings were that mother is rated less positively and viewed as less competent and less active, when she becomes elderly. No significant age-related trends were found for the variables of idealization, conceptual complexity, and potency. The findings provide some objective support for the hypothesis of systematic, age-related trends in adult/parent relationships.