Why Family Members St(r)ay: Marginalized Family Members’ Commitment to Family

Abstract

ABSTRACT Societal norms of commitment to family make gaining and maintaining family distance challenging. This study utilizes the investment model (Rusbult, 1980, 1983) to understand family commitment in the context of family member marginalization. A survey of 285 marginalized family members revealed family member marginalization is associated with lower family satisfaction and investment and higher availability of alternative kin relationships. The negative association between perceptions of family member marginalization and family commitment was mediated by family satisfaction and investment. Financial dependence on family, family-blame, self-blame, and intentionality of marginalization moderated the association between family member marginalization and (a) satisfaction and (b) investment. Implications for the investment model and practical implications for supporting marginalized members are discussed.