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Yahirun JJ, Applegate JS, Mossakowski KN, Hayward MD. Offspring Educational Disadvantage and Parents' Dementia Onset: Does the Educational Success of One Child Moderate the Educational Disadvantage of Another? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2025:gbaf033. [PMID: 39985248 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaf033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2025] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A growing body of research examines how adult children's education influences older parents' cognitive health. Whereas prior studies tend to focus on educational advantage, this study seeks to understand how various measures of educational disadvantage are associated with parents' dementia likelihood. In addition, we ask how the risks associated with one child's educational disadvantage are shaped by a sibling's educational success. METHODS Using data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (2000-2018) and event history analyses, comparisons are made between measures of offspring educational disadvantage and their relationships with parents' risk of dementia onset. In addition, analyses are conducted to understand whether the link between one child's educational disadvantage and parental dementia onset is influenced by a sibling's educational advantage. RESULTS Educational disadvantage is associated with an increased risk of parental dementia onset, with a threshold measure for whether a parent had at least one child without a high school education providing the best model fit for the data. Moreover, the heightened risks associated with one child's educational disadvantage are not offset by another sibling's educational success. DISCUSSION Children's educational deficits are a hidden source of health disparities among older parents. Although scholars in recent years have rightly focused on the importance of offspring education, more attention should be paid to conceptualizing how educational disadvantage matters for parents and how the educational attainment of each child shapes parents' cognitive health.
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He R, Suitor JJ, Gilligan M. Digital Contact as Strain or Support: How Does Type of Contact Shape the Association Between Mother-Child Interactions and Adult Children's Depressive Symptoms in Later-Life Families? THE GERONTOLOGIST 2024; 64:gnae158. [PMID: 39487712 PMCID: PMC11604087 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnae158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 11/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This paper aims to extend research on the association between mother-child contact and adult children's psychological well-being in later-life families by differentiating between in-person, virtual, and written digital contact, examining the moderating role of children's gender, and exploring the processes that underlie these associations. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Mixed-methods data were collected from 250 adult children nested within 131 families as part of the third wave of the Within-Family Differences Study. On average, adult children were 59 and mothers were 88 years of age. RESULTS Multilevel analyses revealed that interacting with mothers through written digital media was associated with higher depressive symptoms among adult children, whereas mother-child in-person and virtual digital contact were not associated with children's depressive symptoms. When stratifying the sample by children's gender, we found that mother-child written digital contact was associated with higher depressive symptoms among daughters, but not sons. Qualitative analyses suggested that adult daughters' psychological well-being was negatively associated with written digital contact with their mothers because this medium of interaction typically fell short of daughters' expectations for emotionally enriching exchanges. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS This study revealed differences in how virtual and written digital contact are associated with psychological well-being among adult daughters, but not sons, suggesting that it is important to consider type of contact, gender of interactants, and content of exchanges when studying the associations between digital communication and relational and psychological well-being and designing intervention programs and digital communication technologies.
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Frase RT, Suitor JJ, Gilligan M, Stepniak C, Ogle D, Fingerman KL. Worrying Across the Generations: The Impact of Adult Grandchildren's Problems on Grandparents' Well-Being. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2024; 79:gbae154. [PMID: 39271131 PMCID: PMC11489879 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbae154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The intergenerational stake hypothesis and theories of the life course posit that older generations are invested in the well-being of younger generations. Consistent with this, previous research has shown that adult children's problems are associated with worse parental well-being. Because multigenerational ties have become increasingly important in the 21st century, we propose that adult grandchildren's problems may also impact grandparents' well-being. In this paper, we test this hypothesis and investigate the moderating effects of grandparents' race and maternal/paternal status. METHODS The analytic sample includes 206 grandparents aged 65-95 who participated in the second wave of the Family Exchanges Study. Adult grandchildren's problems were operationalized as the proportions of adult grandchildren who experienced (1) physical-emotional problems and (2) lifestyle-behavioral problems. RESULTS Main effects multilevel analyses suggested that adult grandchildren's problems did not predict grandparents' well-being. However, moderation analyses revealed that the association between grandparents' depressive symptoms and adult grandchildren's physical-emotional problems was larger among Black than White grandparents, and maternal than paternal grandparents. Adult grandchildren's lifestyle-behavioral problems did not predict grandparents' depression, and these effects were not conditioned by race or maternal/paternal status. DISCUSSION These findings expand research on the importance of grandparent-adult grandchild relationships and contribute to research on multigenerational relationships and health by considering how problems experienced by members of younger generations affect the psychological well-being of older adults.
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Sánchez Sánchez E, Montero García I. [«Effects of intergenerationality (relationships, contacts and programmes) on reducing ageism: A systematic review (2013-2023)»]. Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol 2024; 60:101540. [PMID: 39426193 DOI: 10.1016/j.regg.2024.101540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/21/2024]
Abstract
Discrimination against people on the basis of age, ageism, is one of the most latent forms of discrimination in today's society. In this systematic review we analysed the impact of intergenerationality (relationships, contacts and programmes) on reducing ageism. Eighteen articles were selected following the PRISMA protocol, searching three major databases (Scopus, WoS and ERIC). The results of the studies highlight how intergenerational interventions reduce ageism by fostering understanding and contact between generations, with an emphasis on technology and youth programmes. Shared housing and the duration of interventions are also key factors. As a proposal, an approach to ageism from a socio-educational perspective is proposed that favours the creation of inclusive environments, creating synergies to break the stigma of chronological age.
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Choi SWE, Zhang Z, Liu H. Gender Differences in the Protective Role of Grandparenting in Dementia Risk. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2024; 79:gbae034. [PMID: 38486366 PMCID: PMC11077304 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbae034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study provides one of the first national longitudinal studies of the association between caring for grandchildren (i.e., grandparenting) and the risk of dementia in the United States, with a focus on gender-specific variations. METHODS We estimated discrete-time event history models, drawing upon data from the Health and Retirement Study (2000-2016). The analytic sample included 10,217 community-dwelling White and Black grandparents aged 52 years and older at baseline. RESULTS Noncoresident grandparenting was associated with a lower risk of dementia for both women and men compared to grandparents who did not take care of grandchildren. However, the cognitive advantage showed different patterns based on gender and the combination of care intensity and family structure. Grandmothers had a lower risk of dementia than noncaregiving grandmothers when providing a light level of noncoresident grandparenting, whereas grandfathers who provided intensive noncoresident grandparenting had a reduced risk of dementia compared to their noncaregiving counterparts. Grandparenting experiences within multigenerational households and skipped-generation households were not associated with dementia risk. DISCUSSION Intergenerational caregiving plays a pivotal role in shaping cognitive health during later life; however, the impact is nuanced, depending on factors such as gender, care intensity, and family structure.
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Hou Y, Suitor JJ. Childhood Parental Disfavoritism and Chinese Adults' Psychological Well-Being in Middle and Later Life: The Moderating Effect of Gender. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:2102-2110. [PMID: 37749827 PMCID: PMC11491744 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Parental differential treatment of children, particularly disfavoritism, has been found to detrimentally affect adult children's psychological well-being in the United States. However, no study has investigated the long-reaching influence of parental disfavoritism in China, where there is an absence of equal treatment norms. Drawing from theories of social comparison, life course, and gender dynamics in China, we tested how perceptions of childhood parental disfavoritism affect midlife and older Chinese adults' depressive symptoms, and how the effects differ by own and parent's gender. METHODS Random-intercept models were used based on a sample of 17,682 midlife and older Chinese adults, drawn from 5 waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. RESULTS Recollections of childhood parental disfavoritism were associated with higher depressive symptoms among Chinese adults. Perceptions of paternal disfavoritism predicted both men's and women's depressive symptoms, whereas perceptions of maternal disfavoritism predicted women's depressive symptoms only. Paternal disfavoritism was more detrimental than maternal disfavoritism, but only for men. Maternal disfavoritism was more detrimental for women than men. DISCUSSION These findings shed light on the universality of the long-reaching detrimental effect of perceptions of parental disfavoritism across cultures as well as the unique gendered patterns in China shaped by patriarchy. Findings suggest that the implementation of Three-Child Policy in China should be accompanied with parental education programs involving fathers on equal treatment of children.
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Raja I. Inessential objects: Cherished possessions in late life in Indian fiction. J Aging Stud 2023; 67:101184. [PMID: 38012944 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaging.2023.101184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Through close readings of three Indian short stories, this essay seeks to show how cherished possessions, such as a bed, a blanket and books, are not stable repositories of past memories but a means of materializing intergenerational relations within the family in the lived present and, perhaps even more interestingly, catalysts for new and hitherto unforeseen possibilities of self-discovery and connections with the world beyond. Part of the apparatus of self-care that older people can summon in the moment to supplement their selfhood, objects as presented in these stories appear to exceed their limited understanding as passive recipients of externally imposed meaning, with their complex and unstable signification finally shown to emerge through their mutually transformative entanglement with people.
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Ayalon L, Roy S. The Perceived Contribution of Older People to Climate Change Impact, Mitigation, and Adaptation: Measurement Development and Validation. Innov Aging 2023; 7:igad095. [PMID: 37841578 PMCID: PMC10576513 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igad095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives To improve the understanding of ageism toward older people in the context of climate change, the present study developed and validated a new measure that examines the perceived negative and positive contributions of older people to climate change impact, mitigation, and adaptation efforts. Research Design and Methods Four studies (N = 774) were conducted to develop a new measure and evaluate its reliability and validity, relying on exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, multiple-group analysis (Australia and India), discriminative validity, and convergent and divergent validity. Results A 2-subscale measure covering older people's perceived negative contribution to climate change effects (5 items) and perceived positive contribution to adaptation and mitigation measures (3 items; eg, negative, and positive ageism in the context of climate change) was supported by the data. The measure has demonstrated adequate validity and reliability. Discussion and Implications The measure highlights a relatively neglected area in current climate change discourse and may assist in identifying ways to improve intergenerational solidarity as part of climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts toward building a world for all ages under a healthy climate, which allows for healthy aging and healthy longevity. These objectives are in line with the current mission posed by the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.
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Zhang W, Silverstein M. Does the Economic Status of Adult Children Influence Self-Rated Health Among Older Adults in China? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:1604-1616. [PMID: 37210663 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aim to investigate the association between children's economic status and parents' self-rated health and examine the potential mediating mechanisms for this relationship. METHODS Utilizing nationally representative data in China in 2014, this study predicted parent's self-rated health from children's economic status using inverse probability of treatment weighting to account for selection and endogeneity bias. We further examined depressive symptoms, kin and nonkin social support networks, emotional closeness to children, and economic support from children, as potential mediators of this relationship. RESULTS The study reveals that parents whose children had greater economic success tended to have better self-rated health. For both rural and urban older adults, depressive symptoms served as the most influential mediator. However, only among rural older adults did the size of their support networks mediate the relationship between children's economic status and perceived health. DISCUSSION The results from this study suggest that children's economic success contributes to better self-rated health among older adults. In part, this relationship was explained by better emotional well-being and greater availability of support resources among parents in rural areas with successful children. This quasi-causal analysis demonstrates that adult children remain important for the well-being of their older parents in China, but also suggests that health inequalities in later life are exacerbated by the chance of having economically successful offspring.
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Oliveira RR, da Silva EP, Flores TR, Gigante DP. Intergenerational transmission of birth weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr 2023; 129:2161-2173. [PMID: 36102244 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114522002938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were (1) to systematically review the literature on the association between birth weight in children born in the first and second generation and (2) to quantify this association by performing a meta-analysis. A systematic review was carried out in six databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL and LILACS), in January 2021, for studies that recorded the birth weight of parents and children. A meta-analysis using random effects to obtain a pooled effect of the difference in birth weight and the association of low birth weight (LBW) between generations was performed. Furthermore, univariable meta-regression was conducted to assess heterogeneity. Egger's tests were used to possible publication biases. Of the 9878 identified studies, seventy were read in full and twenty were included in the meta-analysis (ten prospective cohorts and ten retrospective cohorts), fourteen studies for difference in means and eleven studies for the association of LBW between generations (twenty-three estimates). Across all studies, there was no statistically significant mean difference (MD) birth weight between first and second generation (MD 19·26, 95 % CI 28·85, 67·36; P = 0·43). Overall, children of LBW parents were 69 % more likely to have LBW (pooled effect size 1·69, 95 % CI (1·46, 1·95); I2:85·8 %). No source of heterogeneity was identified among the studies and no publication bias. The average birth weight of parents does not influence the average birth weight of children; however, the proportion of LBW among the parents seems to affect the offspring's birth weight.
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Pettay JE, Danielsbacka M, Helle S, Perry G, Daly M, Tanskanen AO. Parental Investment by Birth Fathers and Stepfathers : Roles of Mating Effort and Childhood Co-residence Duration. HUMAN NATURE (HAWTHORNE, N.Y.) 2023:10.1007/s12110-023-09450-6. [PMID: 37300791 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-023-09450-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the determinants of paternal investment by birth fathers and stepfathers. Inclusive fitness theory predicts higher parental investment in birth children than stepchildren, and this has consistently been found in previous studies. Here we investigate whether paternal investment varies with childhood co-residence duration and differs between stepfathers and divorced birth fathers by comparing the investment of (1) stepfathers, (2) birth fathers who are separated from the child's mother, and (3) birth fathers who still are in a relationship with her. Path analysis was conducted using cross-sectional data from adolescents and younger adults (aged 17-19, 27-29, and 37-39 years) from the German Family Panel (pairfam), collected in 2010-2011 (n = 8326). As proxies of paternal investment, we used financial and practical help, emotional support, intimacy, and emotional closeness, as reported by the children. We found that birth fathers who were still in a relationship with the mother invested the most, and stepfathers invested the least. Furthermore, the investment of both separated fathers and stepfathers increased with the duration of co-residence with the child. However, in the case of financial help and intimacy, the effect of childhood co-residence duration was stronger in stepfathers than in separated fathers. Our findings support inclusive fitness theory and mating effort theory in explaining social behavior and family dynamics in this population. Furthermore, social environment, such as childhood co-residence was associated with paternal investment.
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Skolnick VG, Lynch BA, Smith L, Romanowicz M, Blain G, Toussaint L. The Association Between Parent and Child ACEs is Buffered by Forgiveness of Others and Self-Forgiveness. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2023; 16:1-9. [PMID: 37359460 PMCID: PMC10173225 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00552-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine intergenerational transmission of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) from parents to children and examine the buffering influence of forgiveness of oneself and others. Participants were 150 parents and children enrolled in Head Start in an upper midwestern, rural state who volunteered to complete questionnaires measuring ACEs and levels of forgiveness of oneself and others. Multiple correlation and regression were used to examine the associations between parent-reported parent and child ACEs and self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others. Analyses revealed that parental ACEs and child ACEs were positively correlated. Parents with low and medium levels of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others had a stronger positive correlation between their own experience of ACEs and their child's, whereas, for parents with high levels of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, the correlation between parent and child ACEs was reduced statistically to zero. The cycle of intergenerational transmission of ACEs may be interrupted, or at very least notably buffered, by forgiving oneself and others.
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Uccheddu D, Rizzi EL. Intergenerational Ties and COVID-19 Contagion: A Study on European Adults Aged 50 Years and Older Using SHARE Data. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:749-763. [PMID: 36541727 PMCID: PMC10439483 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Intergenerational coresidence and interdependence among family members are salient forms of family support. However, they can also likely increase social and physical contact and thus potential coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission, especially among older adults. This study makes an original contribution to the literature by investigating which individual and household characteristics are associated with the risk of COVID-19 contagion among community-dwelling adults aged 50 years or older living in 27 European countries. We accounted for multiple indicators of intergenerational relationships and conducted a gendered analysis. METHODS The data came from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), including 2 waves of the SHARE Corona Survey. Using linear probability models, the risk of experiencing COVID-19 outcomes was predicted by different family structures and intergenerational relationship indicators. RESULTS While intergenerational coresidence was not associated with the risk of COVID-19, a higher frequency of face-to-face contact with adult children was associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 among mothers. This result stresses the importance of social support from adult children during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we also showed that grandparents who took care of grandchildren were at a higher risk of COVID-19. Additionally, childless individuals had a lower risk of COVID-19 during the second wave of the pandemic. DISCUSSION This study highlights the importance of intergenerational relationships in pandemic studies and underscores the need to examine how intergenerational ties might be a source of social support. Implications for policy interventions are discussed in the final section.
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Frase RT, Bauldry S, Suitor JJ, Gilligan M, Ogle D. Adult Children's Education and Mothers' Psychological Well-Being: Do Adult Children's Problems Mediate This Relationship? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:496-505. [PMID: 36148556 PMCID: PMC9985336 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A growing body of literature documents a positive association between adult children's education and older parents' health, and existing studies have identified social support, social influence, and material transfers as factors linking adult children's education and various dimensions of older parents' health. The present study joins this literature by assessing adult children's problems as mechanisms that may underlie disparities in psychological well-being between mothers whose adult children have completed higher and lower levels of education. METHODS Using 2 waves of longitudinal data collected in 2001-2003 and 2008-2011 from 400 mothers aged 73-85 years at the second wave as part of the Within-Family Differences Study, we examine the role of adult children's problems in mediating the association between adult children's education and mothers' depressive symptoms. RESULTS Mothers with children who completed post-high school education reported fewer depressive symptoms than mothers whose children all completed high school or less. We found evidence that this relationship was mediated by the proportion of adult children who have experienced physical and emotional problems in the last 5 years. DISCUSSION This study underscores the importance of considering how resources and risks that affect well-being accumulate both across the life course and across generations. Providing education opportunities to younger generations and enhancing programs that address challenges that low-attaining children may face have the potential to help minimize socioeconomic disparities in psychological well-being among older adults.
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Fowler C, Gasiorek J. Effects of Stereotype-Focused Imagined Contact on Young Adults' Intentions for Intergenerational Interaction. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:2223-2231. [PMID: 35981959 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Face-to-face intergenerational contact is associated with more positive attitudes toward older adults. However, such contact can be difficult to achieve, and poor contact experiences can have negative consequences for intergenerational relations. We examined whether mentally simulated intergenerational contact (which is more easily facilitated and controllable) could reduce young adults' inclinations to avoid intergenerational interactions by increasing their inclusion of the older outgroup in the self (IOS), and by enhancing their stereotypes of older adults' warmth and competence. METHOD We conducted an online experiment with 373 young adults from the United States. Participants imagined talking with an older adult (aged 70-75 years) in the circumstances intended to make salient either the older adult's warmth or their competence. RESULTS Both manipulations increased young adult participants' IOS with respect to older adults, which in turn predicted more positive assessments of older adults' warmth and competence. IOS, along with ratings of warmth and competence, inversely predicted the desire to avoid future interaction with older adults. DISCUSSION Findings indicate the viability of a simple and accessible intervention to improve intergenerational relations, which can be tailored to address different goals (e.g., encouraging intergenerational friendships vs. encouraging support for equal rights of older members of the workforce).
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Spaan J, van Gaalen R, Kalmijn M. Disentangling the Long-term Effects of Divorce Circumstances on Father-Child Closeness in Adulthood: A Mediation Analysis. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POPULATION = REVUE EUROPEENNE DE DEMOGRAPHIE 2022; 38:1183-1211. [PMID: 36507244 PMCID: PMC9727034 DOI: 10.1007/s10680-022-09636-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that the relationship between nonresidential fathers and their children in youth has a lasting influence on their relationship in adulthood. Comparatively less is known about the process through which divorce affects father-child relationships. We assess if and how the divorce circumstances of interparental conflict, the presence of new partners, and geographical distance between parents affect nonresidential father-child closeness in adulthood. Using a path model, we test whether father-adult child closeness is mediated by fathers' involvement after divorce. The results of this study demonstrate that the level of interparental conflict and the presence of a fathers' new partner after the divorce negatively affect the closeness between fathers and children in adulthood. Our mediation analysis demonstrates that both the effects of interparental conflict and new partnerships on closeness are partially mediated by father involvement and contact frequency during childhood. In other words, it is partly through the negative effect that interparental conflict and new partners have on fathers' involvement that fathers and children become less close later in life. Our study highlights the importance of disentangling the effects of different factors associated with divorce when examining nonresidential father-child relationships.
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Wood KA, Kim YK, Ng YT, Huo M, Fingerman KL. Black and White Young Adults' Support to Midlife Parents. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:2072-2077. [PMID: 34718552 PMCID: PMC9683492 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Prior research suggests that midlife adults in Black and non-Hispanic White families differ in support patterns to aging parents. It is unclear whether such racial differences exist in young adulthood. We examined Black and White young adults' support to their midlife parents and underlying mechanisms to explain within-racial group, family-level differences. METHOD Young adults (aged 18-30; Black n = 107 and White n = 351) from the Family Exchanges Study 2 reported how often they provided tangible (practical) and intangible (emotional support and advice) support to each parent. Participants also reported beliefs about obligation to support parents, rewards from helping, and parental needs. RESULTS On average, Black young adults provided more tangible and intangible support than White young adults. Feelings of reward predicted why young adults in some Black and White families gave more support than those in other families. Parental needs explained tangible support in Black families and intangible support in White families. Within families, rewards and parental needs drove Black offspring to give more intangible support than their siblings, while obligation motivated White offspring. DISCUSSION Consistent with support patterns evident in older adulthood, Black young adults gave more tangible and intangible support to their midlife parents compared to White young adults. Within-race support patterns were explained by different factors informed by the Multidimensional Intergenerational Support Model. Findings suggest psychological factors contribute to between- and within-racial patterns of exchanges.
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Blumenberg C, Martins RC, da Silva SG, da Silva BGC, Wehrmeister FC, Gonçalves H, Hallal PC, Crochemore-Silva I, Menezes AMB. Influence of parental physical activity on offspring's nutritional status: an intergenerational study in the 1993 Pelotas birth cohort. Public Health Nutr 2022; 25:2206-2213. [PMID: 34569464 PMCID: PMC9991797 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980021004079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of parental physical activity on offspring's nutritional status in the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort. DESIGN Birth cohort study. SETTING The main outcomes were overweight and obesity status of children. The main exposure was parental physical activity over time, measured during the 11, 15 and 18 years of age follow-ups. The exposure was operationalised as cumulative, and the most recent measure before the birth of child. We adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance to evaluate crude and adjusted associations between parental physical activity and offspring's nutritional status. All analyses were stratified according to the sex of the parent. PARTICIPANTS A total of 874 members from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort followed-up at 22 years of age with their first-born child were analysed. RESULTS Children were, on average, 3·1 years old. Crude analyses showed that the mother's cumulative physical activity measure had an indirect association with the prevalence of children's obesity. The most recent maternal physical activity measure before the birth of the child was associated with 41 % lower prevalence of obesity in children, even after adjustment for confounders. CONCLUSIONS The most recent maternal physical activity measure was indirectly associated with the prevalence of obesity in children. No associations were found for fathers, reinforcing the hypothesis of a biological effect of maternal physical activity on offspring's nutritional status.
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Li M, Lu SE, Hoover DR, Flynn L, Silverstein M, Wu B, Dong X. Family type and cognitive function in older Chinese Americans: acculturation as a moderator. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:1642-1653. [PMID: 34038643 PMCID: PMC8718330 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1926426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Acculturation to the mainstream culture and the settlement contexts could shape cognitive function of older immigrants. Guided by ecological theory, this study examines the interaction effect between individual acculturation and ecology of family on cognitive function among older Chinese Americans. METHODS Data were derived from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (n = 3,019). Family types included tight-knit (high solidarity and low conflicts), unobligated-ambivalent (high solidarity and conflicts), commanding-conflicted (low solidarity and high conflicts), and detached (low solidarity and low conflicts). Acculturation was measured via language ability, media use, and ethnic social relations. Cognitive function was evaluated by global cognition, episodic memory, working memory, processing speed, and mini-mental state examination. Multiple regression analyses and interaction terms were used. RESULTS Older adults in the commanding-conflicted type had the lowest cognitive function. After controlling confounding variables, higher levels of acculturation (b = 0.009, SE = 0.003, p < .01) were associated with higher levels of global cognition. Acculturation buffered the negative impact of having a commanding-conflicted relationship with children on global cognition (b = 0.070, SE = 0.016, p < .001). Language ability, media use, and ethnic social relations played a unique role in the relationships between family types and cognitive domains. CONCLUSION Acculturation to the dominant culture is identified as a cultural asset for cognitive function in older Chinese Americans. Social services could protect cognitive function of older immigrants in the commanding-conflicted type through enhancing cultural participation. Future research could test how affective and cognitive aspects of acculturation affect health.
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Kincaid R, Rurka M, Suitor JJ, Gilligan M, Pillemer K, Mohebbi L, Mundell N. Prodigal Children: Why Older Mothers Favor Their Once-Deviant Adult Children. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:1325-1335. [PMID: 33912909 PMCID: PMC9255942 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Past research suggests that adult children who reform their deviant behaviors (i.e., problems with drugs/alcohol or the law) are more likely to become favored by their mothers, yet the reasons underlying this phenomenon are unclear. This study employs a longitudinal, qualitative approach to explore why adult children's behavioral reforms shape changes in maternal favoritism. METHOD Analyses are based on qualitative interview data collected at 2 points 7 years apart from older mothers regarding their adult children in 20 families. Each of these families had a "prodigal child"-a child for whom desistance from deviant behaviors between the 2 waves was accompanied by newfound maternal favoritism. RESULTS Findings revealed 2 conditions under which mothers came to favor reformed deviants over their siblings. First, this occurred when adult children's behavioral reformations were accompanied by mothers' perceptions of these children as having grown more family-oriented. Second, this occurred when mothers came to see reformed deviants as exhibiting a stronger need and appreciation for maternal support, relative to their siblings. DISCUSSION Mothers' perceptions of children's behavioral reformations as being accompanied by greater dedication to family or reflecting a need for their mothers' support offer 2 explanations for why previously deviant adult children may become mothers' favored offspring. These findings contribute to a growing body of scholarship on the complexity of intergenerational relations by shedding new light on changing patterns of favoritism in families with a history of parental disappointment, conflict, and strain.
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Kelstrup L, Carlsson J. Trauma-affected refugees and their non-exposed children: A review of risk and protective factors for trauma transmission. Psychiatry Res 2022; 313:114604. [PMID: 35580432 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The rates of posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) are high among refugee populations. At the same time, evidence is emerging of intergenerational transmission of psychopathology. The objective of this study was to examine the current knowledge on risk and protective factors for adverse mental health outcomes in the non-exposed offspring of trauma-affected refugees. A systematic search was undertaken from 1 January 1981 to 5 February 2021 (PubMed, Embase, PSYCInfo). Studies were included if they reported on families of trauma-exposed refugee parents and mental health outcomes in their non-exposed children. The search yielded 1415 results and twelve articles met inclusion criteria. The majority of studies emphasized the negative effects of parental mental health symptoms. There was substantial evidence of an association between parental PTSD and increased risk of psychological problems in offspring. Parenting style was identified as both a potential risk and protective factor. Risk/protective factors at the individual and family level were identified, but findings were inconclusive due to sample sizes and study designs. There is a need for evidence-based interventions aimed at improving child outcomes, especially by improving parental mental health and reinforcing parenting skills. Future research should aim to incorporate broader aspects of child development.
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Wang H, Kim K, Burr JA, Fingerman KL. Financial Problems in Established Adulthood: Implications for Depressive Symptoms and Relationship Quality with Parents. JOURNAL OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT 2022; 30:167-177. [PMID: 35729889 PMCID: PMC9187927 DOI: 10.1007/s10804-022-09409-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Using two waves of data from the Family Exchanges Study (2008 and 2013), this study examined changes in financial problems before and after the Great Recession and investigated the implications for adults' depressive symptoms and relationship quality with parents. Participants in established adulthood (N = 170, age 30-46 in 2013) provided information about their financial difficulties and depressive symptoms, as well as negative relationship quality with each parent (parent-child tie; N = 316) at baseline and 5 years later. Results showed that a growing number of participants experienced financial problems between the two waves, rising from 16 to 72% of participants. Moreover, 14% of participants indicated continuing financial problems and 33% reported decreased income over the 5 year observation period. Financial problems at baseline, continuing financial problems across the observation period, and decreased income over time were associated with participants' increased depressive symptoms, after controlling for their baseline depressive symptoms. Results from multilevel models also revealed that adult participants had more strained relationships with their parents if they experienced more financial problems at the follow-up interview. The harmful effect of financial problems on relationship quality with parents was partially explained by adult participants' depressive symptoms. Findings of this study highlight the important role of financial hardship for persons in established adulthood and their intergenerational ties.
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Kolodziej IWK, Coe NB, Van Houtven CH. The Impact of Care Intensity and Work on the Mental Health of Family Caregivers: Losses and Gains. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:S98-S111. [PMID: 35191980 PMCID: PMC9122646 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We estimate the causal impact of intensive caregiving, defined as providing at least 80 h of care per month, and work on the mental health of caregivers while considering possible sources of endogeneity in these relationships. METHODS We use 2 linked data sources from the United States by matching caregivers in the National Study of Caregiving with corresponding care recipients in the National Health and Aging Trends Study for years 2011-2017. We address possible sources of endogeneity in the relationships between caregiving, work, and mental health by using instrumental variables methodology, instrumenting for both caregiving and work behavior. We examine 2 measures used to screen for depression (PHQ-2, psychodiagnostic test) and anxiety (GAD-2, generalized anxiety disorders screening instrument), a composite measure that combines these measures (PHQ-4), and positive well-being variables to ascertain possible gains from caregiving. RESULTS Providing at least 80 h of care per month to a parent compared to less intensive caregiving increases the PHQ-4 scale for anxiety and depression disorders. This is driven by the screening score for anxiety and not psychodiagnostic test scores for depression. Relationship quality decreases substantially for intensive caregivers, and intensive caregiving leads to less satisfaction that the care recipient is well-cared for. We do not find offsetting mental health gains for intensive caregivers compared to nonintensive caregivers. Work does not independently affect the mental health of caregivers. DISCUSSION Caregiver interventions that reduce objective demands or support intensive caregivers could reduce or prevent well-being losses and improve the caregiver's relationship with the recipient.
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Jang H, Pilkauskas NV, Tang F. Age at Immigration and Depression: The Mediating Role of Contemporary Relationships With Adult Children Among Older Immigrants. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:413-423. [PMID: 33249477 PMCID: PMC8824557 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES For the growing population of older immigrants in the United States, both age at immigration and familial relationships are important factors affecting psychological well-being. This study explores how age at immigration and contemporary relationships with adult children combine to explain older immigrants' depressive symptoms. METHOD This study uses 2014 Health and Retirement Study data from a sample of 759 immigrants aged 65 and older who have at least one adult child aged 21 or older. A series of ordinary least squares regressions and mediational analyses were conducted. RESULTS Findings indicate that structural solidarity significantly mediates the association between age at immigration and depressive symptoms. Specifically, immigrating in later life was associated with a lower level of depressive symptoms through its relationship with structural solidarity. In addition, giving monetary support to children and providing care for grandchildren may alleviate depressive symptoms for older immigrants. DISCUSSION This study suggests that relationships with adult children may differ with age at immigration. The types of support that older immigrants provide to their adult children may be crucial because such support may instill a sense of obligation and reciprocity that may be beneficial to the psychological well-being of older immigrants.
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Suitor JJ, Gilligan M, Kincaid R, Hou Y, Stepniak C, Peng S. How Widowhood and Gender Shape the Impact of Maternal Favoritism on Adult Children's Psychological Well-Being. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:224-236. [PMID: 34192301 PMCID: PMC8755908 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our goal was to extend research on within-family differences in mother-child relations in later life by focusing on 2 social structural characteristics of mothers and offspring that may play important roles in shaping the impact of maternal favoritism on adult children's depressive symptoms-mother's marital status and child's gender. METHODS Mixed-methods data were collected as part of the Within-Family Differences Study from 641 adult children nested within 273 families in which: (a) there were at least 2 living adult siblings, and (b) mothers were married or widowed. RESULTS Multilevel analyses indicated that perceiving oneself as the child to whom one's mother was most emotionally close was a strong predictor of higher depressive symptoms among daughters of widowed mothers; in contrast, perceptions of favoritism did not predict depressive symptoms among sons of either widowed or married mothers, or daughters of married mothers. Qualitative analyses revealed that daughters, but not sons, of widowed mothers tended to attribute their greater closeness with their mothers to their roles as their mothers' "emotional caregivers," particularly solo caregivers, during times when mothers faced negative life events that neither they nor their children could control or ameliorate. DISCUSSION The quantitative and qualitative findings we present underscore how social structural positions-in this case, mother's marital status and child's gender-combine with social psychological processes to shape how parent-child relations affect children's well-being in adulthood.
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