Intergenerational Relationship Quality Research Articles

Aging Parents and the Ties That Bind: Intergenerational Relationship Quality Among Culturally Diverse Canadian Families.

Drawing from a life course perspective, this paper examines mid/later-life parent-child relationship quality among ethnically diverse families. Focus is on the role of culture, child, and parental characteristics. Data are drawn from a study of 588 parents aged 50+ of a least one child aged 19-35 who reside in Metro Vancouver, B.C. from four Canadian cultural groups: British, Chinese, Persian/Iranian, and South Asian. Using OLS regression methods, we use two dependent variable scales: positive and negative support/interaction appraisals of the relationship. The positive relationship quality scale is associated with South Asian versus British-Canadian parents, mothers, those with greater income satisfaction, and daughters. The negative scale is inversely associated among South Asian versus British-Canadian parents, income satisfaction, parental health, and being unpartnered (vs. partnered). Interaction effects are found between gender and ethnicity. Implications for theorizing and applied recommendations for those who work with culturally diverse aging families are discussed.

DIGITAL LITERACY, INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND CARE PREPARATION AMONG CHINESE AGING ADULTS IN HONG KONG

Abstract The rapid ageing trend spotlights the need for more eldercare. Care preparation as a form of proactive coping can mitigate the negative effects of potential eldercare needs. Acquisition and preservation of resources are essential for effective proactive coping. The roles of digital literacy and intergenerational relationships as two significant resources in older people’s care preparation are still understudied. Integrating social convoy theory, intergenerational solidarity theory, and proactive coping theory, this study compared the levels of digital literacy, intergenerational relationships, and care preparation in son-dominant, daughter-dominant, and daughter & son-balance families; and examined the mediating effects of intergenerational relationships on the relationship between digital literacy and care preparation. Data from 3,626 participants with at least one adult child were drawn from the Panel Study of Active Ageing and Society, a biennial study conducted with a representative sample of people older than 50 years in Hong Kong. ANOVA was used to compare scores of key variables in three types of families. PROCESS was used to examine the mediation effects. Results showed that participants in a son-dominant family had the highest level of digital literacy; those in a daughter-dominant family reported the highest levels of intergenerational relationship quality and care preparation. Intergenerational relationship quality mediated the relationship between digital literacy and care preparation in three types of families while the effect sizes differed. These findings implicate the need to enhance older people’s digital literacy and foster their intergenerational relationships, thereby assisting them to be well-prepared for care needs in later life.

Intergenerational Interactions and Relationship Quality: A Daily Study Among Mothers and Their Adult Children.

The parent-child relationship is one of the most long-lasting relationships in human life. Such relationship is particularly adaptive during public health emergencies that threaten human life. However, few studies have examined the effects of daily exchanges in support between aging parents and adult children on the relationship quality during public health emergencies. Using data collected during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, we examined the relationship between daily support and relationship quality among middle-aged and older mothers and adult children. Seventy-seven dyads of middle-aged and older mothers (age range: 44-80 years, Mage = 53.78, SDage = 9.57) and adult children (age range: 18-54 years, Mage = 26.61, SDage = 9.46) participated in the study. They reported their daily exchanges with the other (i.e., support they had received from and given to each other) and daily relationship quality (i.e., relationship satisfaction and trust) each day for 14 consecutive days. The perception of being underbenefited on Day N was associated with daily relationship satisfaction on the concurrent day in children but not mothers. It was associated with daily trust toward the relationship partner in both mothers and children on Day N. Both providing and receiving more support on Day N was associated with better relationship satisfaction for both mothers and children on Day N. Only receiving (not providing) more support on Day N was associated with greater trust toward the partner on Day N for both mothers and children. The time-lagged associations were not significant. The findings highlight the importance of daily reciprocity and daily support exchanges on relationship quality during a public health emergency.

Role of spiritual experiences in shaping the quality of intergenerational relationships - exploring views of older adults in South India

ABSTRACT Objectives To investigate how the older adults in India use spiritual thoughts and practices in their everyday lives to shape intergenerational care relationships and cope with challenges in such relationships. Methods Twenty-five qualitative interviews were conducted with older adults aged 55 to 85 years from two South Indian states from the diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis principles. Results The analysis shows that the spirituality of older adults shapes the quality of relationships with their kin. Participation in daily spiritual exercises such as prayer, chanting, self-reflection, and text reading help older adults develop personal resources such as a sense of peace, patience, acceptance, and forgiveness. This personal transformation helps older adults gain a stronger understanding of their kin and reduces pressure on the quality of intergenerational relationships in the family. They see spirituality as a vehicle, providing a structure for knowledge exchange, joint participation in religious events, and spiritual discussions with family members and others in the community. These experiences strengthen older persons’ emotional bonds with their families and help them develop larger social networks. Conclusion Spiritually inspired resources seem to help older adults to transform their disadvantaged position into a more rewarding and productive state.

Item response analysis with partial credit model, psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the multilanguage versions of intergenerational relationship quality scale in Iran

Item response analysis with partial credit model, psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the multilanguage versions of intergenerational relationship quality scale in Iran

The moderating effect of intergenerational relationships on the association between Internet engagement and mental well-being

Objective This study examined the moderating effect of intergenerational relationships on the association between Internet engagement and older Chinese adults’ mental well-being and whether this relationship and the moderating role of intergenerational relationships differs by age. Methods We collected survey data from 1,162 participants aged 60 and older. Using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) to measure life satisfaction, the Chinese version of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale to evaluate loneliness, and the Intergenerational Relationship Quality Scale for Aging Chinese Parents (IRQS-AP) to assess intergenerational relationship quality. Two-stage least squares regression with interaction terms was used to examine the moderating effect of intergenerational relationships on the association between Internet engagement and mental well-being in different age groups. Results Higher levels of Internet engagement were significantly associated with better life satisfaction and lower loneliness in older adults, particularly for the young-old. Furthermore, the positive association between Internet engagement and mental well-being was stronger for older adults with conflicted or detached intergenerational relationships. Conclusions Encouraging and training older adults to use the Internet to shrink the digital divide, developing a sound Internet infrastructure, providing low-cost Internet services, particularly for the young-old with conflicted or detached intergenerational relationships, and the old-old.

Intergenerational relationships and marriage in China: Within‐family longitudinal associations and between‐family differences

AbstractMarriage is embedded in the web of spouses' broader social ties, and relationship quality with parents and parents‐in‐law is associated with marital quality. Guided by Family Systems theory and using three waves of dyadic data from 268 Chinese different‐sex couples across the first several years of marriage, we first conducted a Random‐Intercept Actor‐Partner Interdependence Cross‐lagged Panel Model (RI‐APIM‐CLPM) to examine the within‐family longitudinal associations among husbands' and wives' relationship quality with parents, parents‐in‐law, and spouse. Then, husbands' and wives' filial obligations were added as predictors of between‐family differences in their own and their partner's relationship quality in the three social ties. Among husbands, increased relationship quality in one social tie (e.g., with parents) predicted reductions in relationship quality in the other social ties (e.g., relationships with parents‐in‐law and marital quality). Our examination of between‐family differences demonstrated that high levels of filial obligations predicted higher intergenerational relationship quality and marital quality. By simultaneously considering the within‐family associations of multiple social ties and how filial obligations account for between‐family differences in relationship quality, we contribute to a nuanced understanding of how Chinese couples' romantic partnerships are embedded in their broader family system.

The Influence of Parent- and Adult Child-level Factors on Intergenerational Relationship Quality: A Study of Chinese Families with Multiple Children in Hong Kong

Intergenerational relationships have become increasingly crucial for maintaining well-being in aging families. Under a changing sociocultural background, families in Hong Kong increasingly exhibit diverse intergenerational relationships and functioning. Focusing on families with mutiple children, this study investigated how the characteristics of parents and their adult children jointly affect different domains of intergenerational relationship quality. A two-stage stratified random sampling design was adopted. Face-to-face questionnaire interviews were conducted between November 2016 and March 2017 with 1,001 Hong Kong residents aged ≥ 50 years. Data of 612 parents and 1,745 adult children were included for analysis. Hierarchical linear modeling was performed to examine child- and parent-level correlates of intergenerational relationship quality. Parents who were female, were married, had higher self-perceived economic status, owned a house, and had fewer depressive symptoms, exhibited higher intergenerational relationship quality. Parents’ age was positively related to affectual closeness, whereas their educational level was negatively related to both affectual closeness and conflict. More favorable intergenerational relationships were reported by aging parents whose adult children were younger, female, and married. Children with higher educational levels exhibited higher levels of both affectual closeness and conflict with their parents. Moreover, affectual closeness was found to be transmitted between generations. The findings can help improve awareness of the factors affecting the different domains of intergenerational relationships, thus informing the development of targeted services and interventions to promote family relationships and well-being.

Effect of intergenerational exchange patterns and intergenerational relationship quality on depressive symptoms in the elderly: An empirical study on CHARLS data.

BackgroundAs the population ages with fewer children, depression symptoms are increasing among the elderly who lack companionship. Intergenerational support is closely related to depression in the elderly; hence how the behavioral patterns and emotional quality of intergenerational support affect depressive symptoms in the elderly should be further explored.ObjectiveTo study the effects of intergenerational exchange patterns and intergenerational relationship quality on depressive symptoms in the elderly.MethodsA total of 8,015 people over 60 years old in CHARLS in 2018 were selected as the object of this study. First, the correlation between demographics, economic conditions, health status, intergenerational support patterns, intergenerational relationship quality, and depressive symptoms in the elderly were analyzed. Three regression analysis models were established to analyze the relationship between control variables, intergenerational support patterns, intergenerational relationship quality, and depressive symptoms in the elderly. Results: Among the intergenerational economic, care, and emotional exchange modes, the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly in the mutual support group was 31.8, 38.4, and 25.5% lower than that in the non-communication group. Compared with the elderly with very poor intergenerational relationship quality, the elderly with good, very good, and excellent intergenerational relationship quality had 74.5, 84.0, and 85.6% lower risk of depressive symptoms.DiscussionDifferent cultural backgrounds also affect intergenerational exchange patterns and depression in the elderly. During the study of depressive symptoms, two aspects relating to intergenerational support should be considered behaviorally and emotionally: the intergenerational exchange model and the intergenerational relationship quality. As depression in the elderly is affected by multiple factors, the participation and joint efforts of the whole society are required to reduce depressive symptoms in the elderly and realize active aging.ConclusionThe intergenerational exchange pattern of mutual support and the higher quality of the intergenerational relationship can significantly reduce the depressive symptoms of the elderly.

Intergenerational relationship quality, sense of loneliness, and attitude toward later life among aging Chinese adults in Hong Kong.

A positive attitude toward later life is crucial for wellbeing among older adults. Maintaining a healthy relationship with adult children can help reduce older parents’ sense of loneliness and nurture a positive life attitude. This study aimed to investigate the associations between multidimensional intergenerational relationship quality and attitudes toward later life among aging Chinese adults in Hong Kong and examine the mediating effects of a sense of loneliness. Representative survey data were collected from 801 participants (aged 50 years and over) with at least one adult child. Multiple linear regression was employed to investigate the associations between overall intergenerational relationship quality with a sense of loneliness as well as the attitude toward later life. To examine the mediating effects of a sense of loneliness, causal mediational analyses were performed. Results demonstrated that overall intergenerational relationship quality was positively associated with aging parents’ attitude toward later life, and this relationship could be partially mediated by a sense of loneliness. Among the four subdomains of intergenerational relationship quality, the influences of structural-associational solidarity and intergenerational conflict on attitude toward later life were almost fully mediated by a sense of loneliness, whereas the influences of consensual-normative solidarity and affectual closeness were partially mediated. These findings contributed to an improved understanding of the relationship between intergenerational relationship quality, sense of loneliness, and attitude toward later life, and could inform future policies and service programs that promote aging adults’ social integration and positive aging.

Influence of intergenerational relationships on depressive symptoms in ageing Chinese adults in Hong Kong: Mediating effects of sense of loneliness

BackgroundMental health of older adults could be positively predicted by harmonious parent–adult children relationships, although the mechanism has not been sufficiently demonstrated. This study employed sense of loneliness as mediator to examine the influence of multiple domains of intergenerational relationships on depressive symptoms in ageing Chinese adults.MethodsData was extracted from a representative survey in Hong Kong among Chinese adults aged over 50 with at least one adult child (n = 801). Four key domains (structural–associational, consensual–normative, affectual closeness, and intergenerational conflict) were adopted to measure the intergenerational relationship quality. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the five-item Geriatric Depression Scale. The mediating role of sense of loneliness in the association between intergenerational relationships and depressive symptoms were tested by the PROCESS macro in SPSS.ResultsThe influence of overall intergenerational relationship quality and its four subdomains on depressive symptoms were significantly mediated by sense of loneliness. Among the four domains, affectual closeness presented the strongest association with older people’s depressive symptoms. The effect of intergenerational conflict on depressive symptoms was completely mediated by sense of loneliness, and the effects of remaining three domains were partially mediated. The domain of consensual–normative solidarity received the lowest rating by Chinese older adults.ConclusionThe psychological pathway that loneliness links intergenerational relationships and depressive symptoms was supported in this study. With respect to improving intergenerational relationships, enhancing affectual connection between older parents and adult children was essential to prevent mental problems. This study calls for more attention to the protective role of diverse social relationships in improving mental health through multiple pathways.

Intergenerational Relationship Quality In Terms Of Lifelong Learning: The Effect of Family Climate on The Quality of Intergenerational Relationship

Social, emotional and physical relationships are one of the most important tools that human beings need to continue their lives. The people that individuals firstly get in touch with are their families. It is quite possible that individuals who were grown up in the normally multigenerational families are impressed by these families’ atmosphere. Some research findings indicate that individuals constitute their relationship at advancing ages by taking as a reference their first relationship forms. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of family climate on the quality of intergenerational relationship in terms of different generations. The universe of the study consists of 672 individuals who live in Kocaeli Province in Turkey. The sample group was chosen by convenience sampling method. Study data were gathered by using “Family Climate Scale” which was developed by Björnberg and Nicholson (2007). And adapted into Turkish by Gönül, Işık-Baş, and Şahin-Acar (2018), and “Multidimensional Intergenerational Relationship Quality Scale For Aging Chinese Parents” which was developed by Xue Bai. For data gathering, online questionnaire forms were used. In the analysis of the data, the pearson correlation coefficient was calculated for the correlation between variables. To examine predictive power of the predictor variables on dependent variables simple linear regression analysis was firstly done, and then multiple hierarchical regression analysis was carried out. According to this research findings, relatedness in family, intergenerational authority and cognitive cohesion which are the subdimensions of family climate variable effect and predict of intergenerational relationship quality in a significant way. Thus this study reveals that there is moderate and positive relation between family climate and intergenerational relationship quality. In the light of tese findings, to increase the quality of intergenerational relationships, it is very important to increase interpersonal harmony, similarities in attitudes, beliefs and values and sharing things.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the "Intergenerational relationship quality scale for aging parents and their children".

BACKGROUND:Investigating the status of intergenerational relationships of elderly parents with their adult childen is very important in examining issues related to the status of the elderly such as well being and quality of life and other aspects of elderly life. Giveeen the significance of the topic, the current study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of “Intergenerational Relationship Quality Scale for Aging Parents and Their Children” (IRQS-AP).MATERIALS AND METHODS:A total of 463 community-dwelling elders (aged 60 years or older) in Tehran participated in this study through multistage cluster sampling method. To investigate reliability, the construct and convergent validity of the IRQS-AP, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and interclass correlation coefficient were done.RESULTS:The content validity index was 0.84 for the entire tool. In the CFA, we found the instrument had a four-factor structure and adequate internal consistency. The scale had a significant and positive correlation with the two measures of loneliness and depression. Furthermore, Cronbach's alpha was estimated at 0.77, and the high value of the interclass correlation was 0.82.CONCLUSION:The IRQS-AP is a valid and reliable scale that can be used to examine the status of intergenerational relationship quality in Iranian elder population.

The intergenerational relationship patterns between aging parents and their adult children.

Older parent-child relations and their impact on the elderly's lives are of importance; thus, the present study aimed to investigate the patterns of the intergenerational relationships between aging parents and their adult children. The current cross-sectional study was conducted on 463 elderly men and women, aged ≥60 years who were residing in Tehran City, Iran. The study participants were selected using the stratified cluster sampling method. The Bai's (2017) 13-item Intergenerational Relationship Quality Scale for Aging Parents (IRQS-AP) was used to evaluate the patterns of intergenerational relationships among the study subjects. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS. The significance level of the tests was set at P ≥ 0.05. The logistic regression model was employed to investigate the factors related to the patterns of intergenerational relationships. The mean ± SD age of the explored aging parents was 67.93 ± 7.0 years. Besides, the mean ± SD number of children in the study participants was 3.55 ± 1.80. The mean ± SD scores of solidarity (structural, associational, consensual, affectual, functional, and normative) and conflict were measured to be (58.95 ± 17.55) and (64.10 ± 20.92), respectively. Furthermore, the mean ± SD score of the ambivalence pattern was calculated as (51.46 ± 21.61). The mean score of conflict was higher than those of solidarity and ambivalence. Additionally, the mean score of consensual-normative solidarity was higher than those of other dimensions of solidarity. The obtained data suggested a significant difference between age and the patterns of intergenerational relationships (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, the mean scores of solidarity and conflict in the examined female elderly and their adult children were higher than those of their male counterparts and their adult children; however, the mean score of ambivalence in the male elderly and their adult children was higher than that in their female counterparts. Logistic regression analysis results indicated that aging parents who were literate (OR = 1.5), those who lived alone (OR = 1.2), and those who assessed their general health status as good (OR = 4), reported high levels of solidarity with their adult children. The present research results demonstrated that the level of conflict between aging parents and their adult children exceeded the solidarity level, indicating the intergenerational gap. Therefore, the necessary implications should be adopted to promote intergenerational relationships within the family by providing family counseling. Further research is recommended to consider the essential role of predictive factors, such as age, gender, educational level, occupational status, living arrangements, health status, and socioeconomic status of aging parents concerning the intergenerational relationships between aging parents and their adult children.

Intergenerational Relationships as a Resource for Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The intergenerational ties that offer support to older adults are likely useful for resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed whether positive and negative intergenerational contact was associated with positive pandemic-related personal change. We utilized data collected from 566 adults aged 50 and older between August 2020 and January 2021 via MTurk and a statewide research registry. Participants reported the quality of their contact with younger adults, and whether they experienced positive changes (i.e. new hobbies, healthier behavior, greater meaning in work) as a result of the pandemic. Higher positive, but not lower negative, non-familial intergenerational contact was associated with a higher number of positive pandemic-related changes (estimate = 0.07, SE = 0.03, p=0.02). The quality of familial intergenerational relationships were not associated with positive pandemic-related changes. Non-familial intergenerational relationships may be especially important for resilience, and should be supported during a time when they may be difficult to maintain.

Intergenerational Relationship Quality and Depressive Symptoms Among Oldest-Old Parents and Their Old Children

평균수명 연장으로 인해 초고령부모-노인자녀로 이루어진 노(老)-노(老) 세대조합이 증가하고 있지만, 연장된 세대관계에 대해별로 알려진 바가 없는 실정이다. 더욱이 노인에 대한 부양의식과 자녀에 대한 기대가 급격히 변화하고 있다는 점에서 서로가 지각한관계의 질과 이것이 정신건강에 미치는 영향이 상이할 수 있음에도 불구하고 대부분의 실증연구가 부모 혹은 자녀, 한쪽의 보고에만의존해왔기 때문에 노년기의 세대관계의 역동과 이것이 서로의 삶에 갖는 의미를 총체적으로 이해하기 어려웠다. 본 연구의 목적은노년기 자녀와 초고령부모가 서로의 관계에 대해 어떻게 지각하고 있는지를 살펴보고, 이러한 지각이 노인자녀와 초고령부모의 우울에어떠한 영향을 미치는지를 탐색하고자 하는 것이다. 이를 위해 65세 이상의 노인자녀와 그들의 초고령부모(배우자의 부모 포함) 105쌍에대한 자료를 분석하였다. 세대관계의 질은 노인자녀와 초고령부모가 서로 간의 관계에 대해 인지하는 긍정적 측면(지원)과 부정적측면(갈등)으로 구분하여 살펴보았고, 자기-상대방 상호의존 모델을 적용하였다. 주요 분석결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 세대관계의 질에대해 초고령부모와 노인자녀 모두 부정적 측면인 갈등보다 긍정적 측면인 지원을 더 높게 지각하고 있는 것으로 나타났으며, 이러한경향은 특히 초고령부모에게서 두드러졌다. 둘째, 세대관계의 질이 우울감에 미치는 영향을 살펴본 결과, 노인자녀는 초고령부모와의관계에서 지원을 높게 지각할수록 우울감이 낮았고, 부모는 자녀와의 관계에서 갈등을 높게 지각할수록 우울감이 높게 나타나, 관계의질에 대한 지각이 우울에 미치는 영향에서 ‘자기효과’가 관찰되었다. 셋째, 자녀가 부모와의 관계에서 지원을 높게 지각할수록 부모의우울 수준이 낮고, 부모가 자녀와의 관계에서 지원을 높게 지각할수록 자녀의 우울 수준이 낮아, ‘상대방효과’ 또한 관찰되었다. 이상의연구결과는 초고령부모의 의존성 증가 및 이로 인한 자녀의 부양부담 증가가 이들 세대관계를 악화시킬 수 있다는 우려와는 달리, 초고령부모와 노인자녀 모두가 세대관계를 긍정적으로 인식하고 있음을 보여준다. 또한 세대관계에 대해 자신이 어떻게 느끼고 있는가뿐 아니라, 상대방이 어떻게 지각하고 있는지가 부모와 자녀의 우울감에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 나타나, 부모-자녀 삶의 상호의존성을실증적으로 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 결과는 고령화가 급속하게 진행되는 한국사회에서 노인자녀-초고령부모의 세대관계와 이들의삶의 질에 대한 연구에 중요한 기초자료를 제공할 것으로 기대한다.

Intergenerational relationship quality and activity profiles among older adults in China.

Currently, very few studies have comprehensively investigated how intergenerational relationship quality (IRQ) between older parents and adult children is related to older adults' activity engagement. To fill this gap, this study endeavoured to examine the associations between IRQ and older adults' activity profiles, not only considering the overall IRQ but also different dimensions of IRQ. We also aimed to reveal the different roles of IRQ with son(s) and with daughter(s). This study made use of survey data collected in Yibin City, Sichuan Province of China in 2018 (N=4,211). We adopted hierarchical cluster analysis to identify activity profiles, and performed multinomial logistic regressions to assess the association between IRQ and the profiles. We identified five activity profiles among older adults: "caregiving-oriented", "employment-oriented", "social withdrawal", "diverse engagement" and "physically active". Those with greater IRQ were more likely to be "caregiving-oriented" and have "diverse engagement" relative to "social withdrawal". It also showed that structural-associational solidarity and affectual closeness were more predictive of the activity profiles, compared to consensual-normative solidarity and intergenerational conflict. Children's gender plays an important role in the relationship between IRQ and activity engagement profiles. Good intergenerational relationships might not narrow down older adults' activity domains, and instead might actually promote their participation in diverse domains. Promoting structural-associational solidarity and affectual closeness was likely to reduce social withdrawal among older adults in China.

The mixed blessing of living together or close by: Parent-child relationship quality and life satisfaction of older adults in China.

BACKGROUNDGeographic proximity between parents and children is increasingly recognized as an alternative measure to coresidence as a gauge for intergenerational support in China. The quality of intergenerational relationships is another important dimension of intergenerational ties that is often underexplored.OBJECTIVEWe examine the association between parent–child proximity and life satisfaction of older adults and how it interacts with the quality of intergenerational relationships, particularly for vulnerable subpopulations.METHODSWe use data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS 2014). We use ordered logit models to predict life satisfaction scores (ranged 1 to 4).RESULTSOur analyses show that parent–child relationship quality is strongly associated with life satisfaction, regardless of living proximity, in our full sample analysis. For those who have a lower-quality relationship with their children, coresidence or close-distance living does not enhance life satisfaction and they indeed have lower life satisfaction than those parents who have all children living farther away but maintain a high-quality relationship with them. At the same time, for those who have a high-quality relationship with their children, we find that close proximity provides added benefits for the subpopulations who are socioeconomically or physically disadvantaged, that is, female, urban, unmarried, and disabled (in terms of being capable of activities of daily living, or ADL) older adults.CONCLUSIONSWe recognize the interdependence of the quality of the intergenerational ties and parent–child proximity in promoting life satisfaction, particularly for subpopulations who are in stronger need of support from adult children.CONTRIBUTIONOur study clearly points to the importance of extending the research on intergenerational relationship beyond the boundary of the household and of paying close attention to the affective dimension of intergenerational ties.

Mothers’ Health and Relationships With Adult Children: The Moderating Role of Gender and Race

Consistent with theories of the life course and intergenerational solidarity, families are generally closely tied groups in which one family member’s event affects other members as well. Although the literature has documented that parents and adult children affect one another’s well-being, less is known about how parents’ health shapes relationship quality between family members. In this paper, we utilize data from the Within-Family Difference Study (WFDS) II to explore how mothers’ functional limitations affect relationship quality between mothers and their adult children, as reported by both family members. We hypothesized that the association between mothers’ health and intergenerational relationship quality would be moderated by gender and race. Using multi-level regression modeling, we found that mothers’ reports of relationship quality were not predicted by the presence of mothers’ functional limitations, nor were there any moderating effects of race or gender. In contrast, adult children who perceived that their mothers had limitations reported higher tension with them. Further, daughters were more likely than sons to report greater tension when they perceived that their mothers had limitations (differences between coefficients p < .10). White adult children reported lower levels of closeness and higher levels of tension when they perceived that their mothers had health limitations (differences between coefficients p < .05; p < .10 respectively). However, limitations did not predict Black children’s reports of closeness or conflict with mothers. This study sheds new light on the complex ways in which race and gender moderate the role of mothers’ limitations in intergenerational relationship quality.

Relationship Quality and Depressive Symptoms Among Very Old Parents and Their Older Children in South Korea

Research has consistently reported the association between intergenerational relationship quality and mental health outcomes in later life. However, few studies have examined the link among very old parents and their older children, and even fewer studies investigated whether the relationship quality matters similarly to parents and children. Employing a dyadic approach, this study examined how one’s own and partner’s perceptions of relationship quality (i.e., support and conflict) are associated with depressive symptoms among very old parents and their children. Data from 105 dyads of parents (age 81-97; M = 87.92, SD = 2.80) and their children (age 65-72; M = 65.87, SD = 1.23) in South Korea were used. Results showed that parents tended to report significantly higher levels of intergenerational support and lower levels of intergenerational conflict, compared to their children. Regarding the actor effects of relationship quality, one’s own perceptions of intergenerational conflict were positively associated with depressive symptoms for both parents (β = 0.26, p < .01) and children (β = 0.37, p < .001), whereas intergenerational support was not significant. In terms of the partner effect, intergenerational support (reported by parents) was negatively related to depressive symptoms only for children (β = -0.21, p < .01), but the partner effect of conflict was not significant. The findings highlight the centrality of perceptions of intergenerational relationship in understanding well-being in later life. Further, children’s depressive symptoms were susceptible to how their parents view the relationship. Findings were discussed in the context of Intergenerational Stake Theory.