[en] The importance of solidarity between family members of different generations has increased in the last years due to unprecedented socio-demographic changes. Family members of different generations share more common life time than ever before; at the same time, family generations have become smaller. Ageing parents might need support and care at some point in their lives; however, ageing parents also often continue to provide essential support for their adult children. Apparently, expectations of and willingness for mutual support might differ depending on aspects such as social norms, felt obligations or relationship quality, with potential effects on well-being.
The present symposium brings together researchers from four different countries (Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Switzerland) focusing on several aspects of intergenerational solidarity, taking into account different stages in the family life cycle as well as cross-cultural aspects.
First, Boris Mayer and colleagues explore adolescents’ willingness for intergenerational support and its relation to maternal expectations and life satisfaction in a cross-cultural study in 14 diverse cultural contexts.
Susana Coimbra and colleagues move on to emerging adulthood, having a closer look at what it means for intergenerational given and received support if emerging adults are already parents themselves.
Afterwards, Sabrina Sommer and Heike M. Buhl focus on social norms, family obligations and perceived parental expectations in relation to support by adults to their (healthy and independent) parents.
Bina Knöpfli and Pasqualina Perrig-Chiello concentrate then on caregiving motives, filial maturity and well-being in a sample of family caregivers of old parents (who need help).
Finally, Isabelle Albert and colleagues take again a cross-cultural look by comparing Luxembourgish and Portuguese migrant families with adult children regarding family cohesion and mutual support, considering also filial anxiety and parental preferences regarding potential future care.
Different theoretical approaches will be integrated and discussed, also considering generational status and situational aspects.
Disciplines :
Social & behavioral sciences, psychology: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
Albert, Isabelle ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (FLSHASE) > Integrative Research Unit: Social and Individual Development (INSIDE)
External co-authors :
no
Language :
English
Title :
Generations and willingness for intergenerational support
Publication date :
September 2015
Event name :
17th European Conference on Developmental Psychology