scholarly journals Blood thicker than water? Emotional closeness between older parents and adult children in stepfamilies

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Torbjörn Bildtgård ◽  
Peter Öberg
Keyword(s):  
Adult Children ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Older Parents

scholarly journals BLOOD THICKER THAN WATER? STEPGAP IN INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S671-S671
Author(s):  
Peter Öberg ◽  
Torbjorn Bildtgard
Keyword(s):  
Adult Children ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Intergenerational Relationships ◽  
Equal Treatment ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Swedish Study ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Biological Relationships

Abstract The increasing prevalence of ageing stepfamilies and stepchildren’s potential to act as a source of support for older parents has prompted research about intergenerational cohesion in step-relationships. Previous research has hypothesized a qualitative gap (a step-gap) between step and biological relationships to the advantage of the latter. In this Swedish study we compare emotional closeness between older parents and adult children among parents (aged 66-79) who have had both biological and stepchildren, and children (aged X-Y) who have had both biological and stepparents. Qualitative interviews (n=24) of family histories including a hierarchical convoy model of family relationships were collected and analyzed. Results show that with few exceptions biological relationships are rated as emotionally closer than step-relationships, both by parents and adult children, supporting the step-gap hypothesis. While the older parents tend to deemphasize the importance of blood for their ratings, the adult children often emphasize the importance of blood. The difference is explained by a parental adherence to an ideology of equal treatment of children, while the adult children stress the importance of biology for their identity and belonging.

Providing instrumental support to older parents of multi-child families in China: are there different within-family patterns?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Jia Chen ◽  
Xiaochen Zhou ◽  
Nan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Adult Children ◽  
Latent Profile Analysis ◽  
Profile Analysis ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Instrumental Support ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Older Mothers ◽  
Family Patterns ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Older parents in China rely heavily on their adult children for instrumental assistance. In different multi-child families, multiple offspring may co-operate in providing instrumental support to older parents in distinct ways in terms of how much support they provide on average and how much differentiation exists between them when they provide such support within a family. We aimed to identify different within-family patterns in relation to multiple offspring's instrumental support to an older parent in Chinese multi-child families, and to investigate potential predictors for different within-family patterns. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (2016), we had a working sample of 5,790 older adults aged 60+ (mean = 68.54, standard deviation = 6.60). We employed latent profile analysis (LPA) to classify within-family patterns and multinomial logistic regression to investigate predictors. Our findings identified three within-family patterns: dissociated (59.10%), highly differentiated (29.60%) and united-filial (11.30%). Older parents in the highly differentiated families tended to be older, mothers, divorced/widowed and to have poorer physical health compared to their counterparts in the dissociated families. In contrast, the composition characteristics of multiple adult children played more important roles in determining the united-filial within-family pattern. The united-filial families were more likely to have fewer adult children, at least one adult daughter and at least one co-residing adult child.

How left behind are rural parents of migrant children? Evidence from Thailand

2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 811-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN KNODEL ◽  
JIRAPORN KESPICHAYAWATTANA ◽  
CHANPEN SAENGTIENCHAI ◽  
SUVINEE WIWATWANICH
Keyword(s):  
Adult Children ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Migrant Children ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Economic Changes

ABSTRACTThe consequences of adult children's migration from rural areas for older parents who remain behind are keenly debated. While the mass media and international advocacy organisations favour an ‘alarmist’ view of desertion, the academic literature makes more sanguine assessments using the ‘household strategy’ and ‘modified extended family’ perspectives. We examine the relationship between the migration of adult children and various dimensions of older parents' wellbeing in Thailand using evidence from a survey that focused on the issues. The results provide little support for the alarmist view, but instead suggest that parents and adult children adapt to the social and economic changes associated with development in ways not necessarily detrimental to intergenerational relations. The migration of children, especially to urban areas, often benefits parents' material support while the recent spread of cell phones has radically increased their ability to maintain social contact. Nevertheless, changing living arrangements through increased migration and the smaller family sizes of the youngest age groups of older people pose serious challenges for aspects of filial support, especially at advanced ages when chronic illness and frailty require long-term personal care. Dealing with this emerging situation in a context of social, economic and technological change is among the most critical issues facing those concerned with the implications of rapid population ageing in Thailand and elsewhere.

A Comparison of Adult Attitudes Toward Their Parents' Sexuality and Their Parents' Attitudes

1994 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Poulin ◽  
Brian L. Mishara
Keyword(s):  
Adult Children ◽  
Cohort Effect ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Sexual Behaviours ◽  
Item Questionnaire ◽  
Positive Attitudes

ABSTRACTThis study compared the attitudes of adult children toward the sexuality of their older parents with their parent's own attitudes toward sexuality. A 56-item questionnaire was given to 41 family pairs consisting of a parent over age 65 and his or her son or daughter. Questions were based upon previous studies and involved six point Likért ratings. In general, attitudes toward sexuality were positive among parents and their adult children. However, adult children had significantly more positive attitudes than their parents. This difference was primarily due to more positive attitudes toward physical aspects of sexual behaviours. Overall, the disapproval and negative attitudes of adult children reported in previous research were not found in this study. Adult children had positive attitudes, much more positive attitudes than their parents, possibly due to a cohort effect

New Structure, Traditional Essence: Patterns of Helping Non-Coresident Parents by Own and Sibling(s)’ Gender in China

2021 ◽  
pp. 016402752110188
Author(s):  
Yifei Hou ◽  
Marissa Rurka ◽  
Siyun Peng
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Family Structure ◽  
Adult Children ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sibship Size ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Traditional Family ◽  
The Family

As Chinese households are becoming smaller with increasing numbers of adult children and older parents living apart, the extent to which patterns of parental support reflect traditional gender dynamics is under debate. Integrating theories of sibling compensation with ceremonial giving, we tested whether helping non-coresident parents in China is affected by sibship size and how these patterns depend on own and sibling(s)’ gender using a sample of 4,359 non-coresident parent-child dyads nesting within 3,285 focal adult children from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2013. Opposite to patterns in the United States and Europe, we found substitutions of daughters with sons—having more brothers was associated with daughters’ reduced probabilities and hours of helping. Sons’ patterns of helping were independent of number of brothers and sisters in the family, consistent with the theory of ceremonial giving. These findings reflect the dominance of traditional family dynamics despite changes in family structure.

scholarly journals Intergenerational flows of support between parents and adult children in Britain

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIA EVANDROU ◽  
JANE FALKINGHAM ◽  
MADELIN GOMEZ-LEON ◽  
ATHINA VLACHANTONI
Keyword(s):  
Child Care ◽  
Adult Children ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Intergenerational Support ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Dynamic Nature ◽  
Family Structures ◽  
National Child Development Study ◽  
Older Parents

ABSTRACTUnderstanding patterns of intergenerational support is critical within the context of demographic change, such as changing family structures and population ageing. Existing research has focused on intergenerational support at a given time in the individuals' lifecourse, e.g. from adult children towards older parents and vice versa; however, few studies have focused on the dynamic nature of such support. Analysing data from the 1958 National Child Development Study, this paper investigates the extent to which the receipt of parental help earlier in the lifecourse affects the chances of adult children reciprocating with support towards their parents later in life. The findings show that three-quarters of mid-life adults had received some support from their parents earlier in life, and at age 50 more than half were providing care to their parents. Patterns of support received and provided across the lifecourse differ markedly by gender, with sons being more likely to have received help with finances earlier in the lifecourse, and daughters with child care. The results highlight that care provision towards parents was associated with support receipt earlier in life. However, the degree of reciprocity varies according to the type of care provided by children. Such findings have implications for informal care provision by adult children towards future cohorts of older people, and by extension, the organisation of social care.

scholarly journals CORESIDENCE OF OLDER PARENTS AND ADULT CHILDREN BENEFITS OLDER ADULTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING: PATH ANALYSIS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S324-S324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soohyoung r Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Path Analysis ◽  
Adult Children ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Measurement ◽  
Living Situation ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Older Parents

Abstract Even though the coresidence of older parents and their adult children is no longer a rare phenomenon in current society, a little is known about the benefit of living with adult children from older adults’ perspectives compared to the risk of this living situation. Previous research suggests that older adults’ psychological well-being is low when they live with their adult children, and this become more salient among single parents, such as widowed or divorced. The current paper utilizes the National Health Measurement Study with a sample of age 55 and over, and their SF-36 Mental Health Component score, and psychological well-being self-acceptance score was measured. Path analysis reveals while mental health and psychological well-being scores are lower among single older adults at the time of the survey (e.g., divorced, widowed) than non-single, coresidence of older adults and adult children completely mediates the negative relationship between being single and both mental health psychological well-being. A complete mediation effect of living with an adult child on older adults’ mental health and psychological well-being is consistent with both white and non-white minority older adults. This suggests that living with adult child benefits older adults’ mental health and psychological well-being. The current study seeks to stimulate ideas that might generate the next answer to community-based care in our current aging society.

Older parents and their adult children

2009 ◽  
pp. 27-36
Author(s):  
Pat Chambers ◽  
Graham Allan ◽  
Chris Phillipson ◽  
Mo Ray
Keyword(s):  
Adult Children ◽  
Older Parents

Parent–Child Relationships and Aging Parents’ Sleep Quality: A Comparison of One-Child and Multiple-Children Families in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 1602-1613
Author(s):  
Haowei Wang ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Jeffrey A. Burr ◽  
Bei Wu
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Instrumental Support ◽  
Sleep Difficulty ◽  
Financial Transfers ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child

Objectives: This study examined the associations between parent–child relationships and sleep difficulty among older parents in the context of Chinese multiple-children and one-child families. Methods: Using the 2014 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, this study analyzed older parents’ ( N = 8,450) reports of sleep quality and relationships with each of children. Results: Results from multivariate logistic regression models showed that living alone, greater variations in children’s financial transfers and emotional closeness, and more instrumental support from children were associated with higher risks of sleep difficulty for Chinese older parents with multiple children. The maximum levels of financial transfers and emotional closeness from all children were related to lower risks of sleep difficulty for parents from multiple-children families, while greater instrumental support from children was associated with higher risks of sleep difficulty for parents from one-child families. Discussion: Findings have implications for support programs for Chinese aging population with sleep problems.

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