Family Developmental Trajectories: Family Timing and Parent‐Child Relations in Young Adulthood

Abstract

This article (a) describes a conceptual approach to family development that includes variations in the timing of developmental events, (b) elaborates on the concept of family developmental trajectories, and (c) illustrates the approach through a study of birth timing and parent‐child relationships among late adolescents and young adults. The older the mother at first birth, the greater the perceived control of firstborn and only sons and daughters and the greater the perceived control of last‐born daughters. The older the father at first birth, the more positive the perceived relationship with his last‐born daughter. Implications of these findings are discussed with reference to family developmental trajectories. The courses of these trajectories are influenced by starting point and gender.