FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM ADULT CHILDREN TO PARENTS IN CHINA: COMPARING OWN PARENTS TO PARENTS-IN-LAW

Abstract

AbstractHistorically in China it has been the obligation of adult children, particularly sons, to provide support to elderly parents. Policy makers in China express concern over a decline in filial piety, and a consequent decline in support for elderly parents as the country experiences dramatic social change. However, few studies are able to directly test the association between attitudes and expression of filial piety in the form of support to parents. In the present study, I assess whether filial piety and other measures of altruism are associated with financial support from adult children to elderly parents, or whether measures from the corporate group and mutual exchange models of intergenerational support are more important predictors. I examine sons and daughters separately, and also financial support to natal parents versus parents-in-law. Survey data from the 2002 wave of the Chinese Survey of Family Dynamics (CSFD) (N=3,768) was utilized. This survey interviewed a subset of adult children (ages 35–65) of elderly respondents from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Prevalence of any financial support to parents or parents-in-law from adult sons and daughters was remarkably similar, but among those who give any amount, women gave higher amounts to in-laws than did men (359 vs. 234 yuan in the previous year). I found that covariates from all 3 perspectives – altruism, corporate group, and mutual exchange – were associated with both existence and amount of cash transfers to own parents, while filial piety and altruism measures were associated with financial transfers to parents-in-law.