Age and intergenerational exchange among older parents in rural China

Abstract

This study examined life-course differences in the flow of intergenerational exchange in rural China. The analysis used longitudinal data and growth curve models to decompose the distinct effects of age and cohort on the receipt and provision of economic and instrumental support among elder parents and their adult children. The study highlighted the importance of examining the age trajectories of intergenerational support according to cohort-specific experiences and family life stage. There was a net age effect on intergenerational exchange, with elder parents tending to receive more support from children over time. However, there were indeed significant cohort effects that represented socio-historical variation in the relationship between aging and intergenerational exchange. The study also observed gender differences in the flow and growth of intergenerational exchange. © 2011 The Author(s). International Journal of Social Welfare © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.