Patterns of exchange and intergenerational responsibilities after divorce and remarriage

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of reciprocal and nonreciprocal patterns of exchange on beliefs about intergenerational responsibilities in parent–child and stepparent–stepchild relationships. A national sample of 1044 adults responded to a multiple segment factorial survey. Normative responsibilities to assist kin were greater than to assist step-kin and normative responsibilities to assist an older family member were greater when patterns of exchanges were reciprocal than when they were not. The open-ended responses and quantitative data suggest ambiguous views of intergenerational transfers.