Parental socioeconomic status and the transition to adulthood in China: evidence from a holistic approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study used retrospective data to examine the patterns of trajectories to adulthood among Chinese young people born between 1930 and 1979 and the role of parental socioeconomic status in their transition to adulthood. We found that trajectories to adulthood can be classified into four patterns: early transition, intermediate transition, late transition, and diversified transition. Adolescents with highly educated fathers were less likely to follow the traditional trajectories of an early transition to adulthood. Meanwhile, adolescents with fathers with lower occupational statuses were more likely to transition to adulthood before their peers. However, delayed and diverse trajectories to adulthood were observed regardless of the adolescents’ mothers’ occupational statuses. Fathers’ non-party membership and rural hukou played an important role in accelerating Chinese youths’ transition to adulthood and increased the likelihood of this transition following the traditional pathway. Conversely, mothers’ party membership and urban hukou delayed adolescents’ transition to adulthood. In sum, young people with parents with low socioeconomic statuses were more likely to transition to adulthood relatively quickly, while those with parents with higher socioeconomic statuses were more likely to delay this transition.