Kin Networks and Mobility in the Transition to Adulthood

Family support is critical for launching youth into successful adult lives. Although studies have documented the association between family support and success in the transition to young adulthood, existing work focuses primarily on parental support, giving little attention to extended kin. This narrow definition of family may miss critical exchanges of support, especially among low-income families. Drawing on panel survey data (n=450) and in-depth interviews (n=52) with young women from the Philadelphia Educational Longitudinal Study, this study expands our understanding of family support in the transition to adulthood by examining young adults' kin networks and the types of support and resources embedded within these networks. We find that kin support is an important buffer for those growing up in households without two biological parents, reducing the odds of perceiving oneself as an adult, having a child, and moving out. Qualitative data show that kin often step-in and play a parent-like role, providing needed instrumental and emotional support. Our results also highlight the complexity and fragility of kin network exchanges. While kin networks can be a source of resilience, they are often fragile and subject to external shocks, such as job loss and health declines. Moreover, kin networks can also be a source of obligation, delaying young adults' investments in their own educational trajectories. Those giving back to families are less likely to be in college compared to their peers and more likely to work, live independently, and consider themselves an adult.