Pathways of Intergenerational Support between Parents and Children throughout Adulthood
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Most adults engage in financial and residential support exchanges with parents throughout adulthood. Diverse intergenerational support patterns emerge, challenging the idea of complete independence as a marker of adulthood.
Area Of Science
- Sociology
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
Background
- Understanding intergenerational support is crucial for comprehending adult development and family dynamics.
- Previous research often assumes a linear progression towards independence, overlooking diverse support exchange patterns.
Purpose Of The Study
- To examine varying patterns of financial and residential support exchanges between parents and children.
- To explore how these intergenerational support patterns unfold throughout adulthood using a life course perspective.
Main Methods
- Utilized data from Waves 3 to 5 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health).
- Conducted a repeated measure latent class analysis to identify distinct pathways of intergenerational exchange.
Main Results
- Identified six distinct pathways of intergenerational exchange.
- Approximately one-third of individuals reported minimal intergenerational exchange.
- The majority of individuals engaged in some form of residential and financial assistance with parents from late teens to early forties.
- Upward and downward intergenerational exchanges were more prevalent among Black, Hispanic, and less formally educated families.
- Pathways of complete independence were most common among White families.
Conclusions
- Intergenerational support exchanges are common and diverse throughout adulthood.
- Challenged the traditional notion of complete independence as a sole indicator of adulthood.
- Highlighted the role of race/ethnicity and education in shaping intergenerational support dynamics.
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