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Children's Divorce and their Financial Support to Older Parents in Rural China
Zhen Cong1, Yaolin Pei2, Merril Silverstein3
1School of Social Work, 12329University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
Research on Aging
|April 1, 2022
Summary
Adult children's divorce impacts financial support for elderly parents in rural China. Divorced sons offer less aid than married sons, while divorced daughters' support levels vary, highlighting gendered filial piety norms.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Demography
- Gerontology
Background:
- Filial piety remains a strong norm in rural China.
- Patrilineal traditions and gender ideologies are undergoing desynchronized changes.
- Understanding the impact of parental divorce on adult children's financial support is crucial for aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of adult children's divorce on financial support provided to older parents in rural China.
- To examine gender differences in this relationship.
- To analyze the influence of changing family structures on intergenerational financial transfers.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study using six waves of data from 2001-2015.
- Sample includes 1629 older parents and 6210 adult children in rural Anhui Province.
- Statistical analysis using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE).
Main Results:
- Divorced sons provided significantly less financial support to parents compared to married sons.
- Divorced daughters' financial support levels were not consistently lower than married daughters.
- A statistically significant gender difference in financial support was observed post-divorce.
Conclusions:
- Parental divorce has a differential impact on financial support from adult children based on gender.
- Changing family norms and gender ideologies in rural China influence intergenerational financial obligations.
- Findings underscore the need for nuanced policies addressing elder support in evolving family structures.
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