ABSTRACT

Although the godparent-godchild relationship is a centuries-old practice that creates a meaningful intergenerational bond, research on godparenthood is in its infancy. The current study examined godparent relational maintenance behaviors to provide an introductory glimpse into this relationship. Godchildren (N= 151) reported on their godparents’ relational maintenance behaviors. Assurances, social networks, and self-disclosure emerged as the most prominent relational maintenance behaviors associated with relational closeness. Differences did not emerge concerning biological sex or family relationship status (voluntary kin vs. biological/legal relative). We outline an agenda to encourage future godparenthood research, suggesting that scholars consider how relational maintenance behaviors might differ based on structural features of the relationships, cultural and religious identities, and discrete patterns of communication.

摘要

尽管教父与教子的关系是一种有着数百年历史的实践，它创造了一种有意义的代际纽带，但对教父的研究还处于起步阶段。当前的研究检查了教父的关系维护行为，以提供对这种关系的介绍性一瞥。教子 ( N= 151) 报告了他们的教父母的关系维护行为。保证、社交网络和自我表露成为与亲密关系相关的最突出的关系维护行为。在生理性别或家庭关系状态（自愿亲属与生理/法定亲属）方面没有出现差异。我们概述了鼓励未来教父身份研究的议程，建议学者根据关系的结构特征、文化和宗教身份以及离散的交流模式考虑关系维护行为可能有何不同。