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Abstract
This dissertation examines the bidirectional influences of family relationships on health across the life course, with a focus on parent-child dynamics among African American families. Drawing on data from the longitudinal Family and Community Health Study (FACHS), two studies investigate how evolving family relationships shape health outcomes for both children and parents over time.Study 1 explores changes in parent-child relationship hostility as children transition from adolescence to young adulthood, and the long-term impacts on mental health. Using Repeated-Measures Latent Class Analysis on data from 506 participants across 7 waves, this study identifies distinct patterns of change in parent-child hostility and examines their associations with depressive symptoms in young adulthood. This analysis sheds light on the enduring effects of family dynamics beyond adolescence.
Study 2 investigates the intergenerational transmission of discrimination and its health consequences, focusing on how adult children's experiences of violent threats relate to accelerated biological aging in their midlife mothers. Analyzing data from 251 Black mother-child pairs, this study employs hierarchical regression to examine this association and explores whether neighborhood social cohesion moderates the relationship. By considering adult children's experiences as potential stressors for parents, this study highlights the reciprocal nature of family influences on health.