Parent-Child Relationships in Childhood and Adulthood and Their Effect on Marital Quality: A Comparison of Children Who Remained in Close Proximity to Their Parents and Those Who Moved Away

Abstract

This study examines the links between parent-child relationships in childhood and adulthood and the marital quality of adult children. Additionally, the study tests the hypothesis that this association is moderated by residential proximity and frequency of contact between the two generations. In order to test these hypotheses, 54 kibbutz children who have remained in close proximity and daily contact with their parents (“Remainers”) were compared with a matched group of 55 kibbutz-born respondents who moved away (“Leavers”). Findings indicated a strong association between family experiences during childhood (family cohesion, parental marital happiness, and parent-child relationships) and emotional and contact solidarity with parents in adulthood. Adult children's marital quality was explained by parent-child relations in childhood and by the interaction between parent-child relationships in adulthood and living proximity. Marital quality was found to be associated with parent-child relations only for the Remainers but not for the Leavers. The findings have implications for parent-child relationships and marital quality among broader populations experiencing geographical mobility.