Parent-Child Relations and Parent's Satisfaction with Living Arrangements When Adult Children Live at Home

Abstract

Data from the 1988 National Survey of Families and Households were used to explore (I) the influences on parents satisfaction with having coresident adult children; (2) the nature of parent-child relations in coresident households; and (3) the impact of childrens adult role status on parent-child relations and satisfaction with coresidence. Structural equation models estimated with LISREL VI showed that parental satisfaction with the presence of adult children (age 19-34) in the home was highly related to parent-child conflict and to the level of positive social interaction between parent and child. Childrens financial dependency and unemployment were associated with increased parent-child conflict. The return home of divorced or separated children and the presence of grandchildren in the home decreased parents satisfaction with the coresident living arrangement. Overall however the majority of parents were highly satisfied with the coresident living arrangement and described mostly positive relationships with their adult children. (authors)