Citation
Lin, I. F. & Hammersmith, A. M. (2024). Mother-Child Closeness and Adult Children's Time and Financial Assistance. Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. vol. 79 (6) , PMCID: 38530870Abstract
Objectives: Drawing on the intergenerational solidarity framework and life course perspective, the authors assessed how mother-child closeness across different life stages is associated with adult children's time and financial assistance to mothers in later life. Methods: Using children's reports of their perceived closeness to mothers from Waves 1 to 4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) and mothers' reports about adult children's time and financial assistance from Wave 2 of the Add Health Parent Study (AHPS) in the United States, the authors investigated how mother-child closeness during adolescence, emerging adulthood, and young adulthood is related to midlife adult children's support with a focus on difference between mother-daughter (N = 934) and mother-son (N = 899) dyads. Results: Closeness during young adulthood was an important determinant of adult children's time assistance to their mothers, regardless of child's gender. Daughters' closeness with mothers during young adulthood also had a direct association with their financial support to mothers but not sons'. In contrast, sons' perceived closeness during emerging adulthood had a direct association with their financial support later in life. Closeness during adolescence had no direct association with later-life transfers of time or money but had an indirect association through its influence on mother-child relationships at subsequent life stages. Discussion: Mother-child closeness is a continuously evolving process. Although mother-child bond formed during adolescence has no direct influence on help to mothers later in life, it shapes the progression of mother-child interactions over time that eventuates in support. © 2024 The Author(s).URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae038Keyword(s)
AdolescenceReference Type
Journal ArticleJournal Title
Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social SciencesAuthor(s)
Lin, I. F.Hammersmith, A. M.