Characteristics and processes of intergenerational support and its association with elderly life satisfaction in China

Abstract

Family support, especially children’s support, has long been a main source for elderly care in China. However, with rapid changes in family demographics and society, intergenerational support is undergoing challenges. Few studies have taken a holistic theoretical framework to understand intergenerational support, considering both micro-level and macro-level factors. Additionally, there is a lack of studies investigating variation in the relationship between intergenerational support and elderly life satisfaction across different old-age groups, considering heterogeneity among older adults. Therefore, from an integrated perspective drawing on different theories, the current study consisted of three sub-studies focusing on relevant topics of intergenerational support, including (I) reciprocity, child gender, family structure and intergenerational support, (II) contextual characteristics of public elderly care resources and intergenerational support, and (III) intergenerational support and elderly life satisfaction. Applying micro-level data (2010) of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), sub-study I comprised a sample of 14,825 parent-child dyads from 25 sampled provinces/prefectures, of which elderly parents and children were aged 61+ and 18+, respectively. Using three-level random-intercept logistic regression models, it found that instead of reciprocity, altruistic support exchanges were more likely to happen between elderly parents and adult children in Chinese families. In general, sons took more advantages from intergenerational support and such child gender inequality was unlikely to be changed by family structure (i.e. one- vs. multi-child families). Sub-study II combined micro-level data (2010) of the CFPS and macro-level data at the provincial level derived from various national statistical materials. Based on the same sample of sub-study I, it applied four-level random-intercept logistic regression models due to the provincial level added. The results showed that contextual indicators of public elderly care resources did not have salient associations with intergenerational support in China as in the European welfare states. In a less strict sense, specialization rather than the ‘crowding in’ or ‘crowding out’ thesis was relatively supported in Chinese context. In addition, daughters seemed to be particularly overburdened in provinces with overall better public elderly care resources. Sub-study III utilized individual elderly as the unit of analysis using a sample of 3,989 older adults in both waves (2010 & 2012) of the CFPS. Adopting fixed-effects models, this final sub-study suggested that for Chinese elderly people, the relative amount of support received or provided from/to their children did not have salient associations with their life satisfaction. In addition, compared with other intergenerational support, receiving financial support from children was beneficial to elderly life satisfaction. Moreover, the association between intergenerational support and elderly life satisfaction varied across different old-age groups, considering heterogeneity among elderly people. This study highlights the importance of adopting an integrated theoretical framework to investigate intergenerational support. It also has practical and policy implications. Social workers and service staff can conduct supportive elderly or family care programs, considering different family dynamics in specific contexts. Relevant policies should be implemented to improve old-age social protection systems and support caregivers, equipping older adults with more public resources and relieving caregiving pressure of adult children, especially for females.