Cross-National Comparison of Patterns of Intergenerational Relations

BoRin Kim , University of New Hampshire
Minyoung Kwak, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hyunjoo Lee, Daegu University
Sojung Park, Washington University

This study identified and compared patterns of intergenerational relations across China, South Korea, and the U.S. that have different family culture and policies. We examined factors associated with various intergenerational relations. Data came from three harmonized datasets of international aging and retirement studies collected between 2010 and 2011. We restricted our sample to family respondents over 60-years with at least one child (N=4,937 China; N=5,095 South Korea; N=3,625 the U.S.) Nine variables related to intergenerational relations were used: the number of sons and daughters, living arrangements, contact frequency (face-to-face and email/phone contact), physical and financial help from/to children. Latent Class Analysis identified four or five clusters as the most optimal classification including Interdependent, Helping, Dependent, Independent, and Separated Parents. The proportions and the characteristics of each intergenerational profile cluster significantly differed across countries. This study confirms that various perspectives of intergenerational relations were influenced by social and cultural contexts.

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 Presented in Session 174. Intergenerational Relationships