Significance of extended family for mental health

This article explores contemporary research on how extended family ties contribute to individual mental health outcomes, including how recent historical and social trends in the 21st century, including increases in life expectancy, trends in divorce and remarriage, and changing expectations for marriage and parenthood have contributed to the importance of intergenerational and sibling relationships. Further, we describe how positive relationship experiences protect mental health and how negative relationship experiences compromise mental health. Finally, we consider the increasing diversity in the US and explore variability in the associations between extended family ties and mental health.