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Should Parents Financially Support their Adult Children? Normative Views in Australia

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Listed:
  • Deirdre Drake

    (Edith Cowan University)

  • Justine Dandy

    (Edith Cowan University)

  • Jennifer M. I. Loh

    (Edith Cowan University)

  • David Preece

    (Edith Cowan University)

Abstract

Social welfare policies generally assume that parents remain responsible for adult children. Recent social changes in industrialized nations, however, have rendered family obligation norms more complex. We examined 300 Australians’ norms concerning parents’ obligations to support adult children financially. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, we investigated the extent to which respondents agreed that parents should support adult children, and the influence of situational factors. More respondents were in favor of assisting adult children than against, but there was no consensus as to what parents should do. Respondents generally agreed on factors that should be considered, then attempted to balance parental responsibility norms with adult independence norms. Parental help was more strongly endorsed when need was considered legitimate, and when the adult child was younger. Implications for Australian social policy are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Deirdre Drake & Justine Dandy & Jennifer M. I. Loh & David Preece, 2018. "Should Parents Financially Support their Adult Children? Normative Views in Australia," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 348-359, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:39:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s10834-017-9558-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10834-017-9558-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Susan Brown & Wendy Manning, 2009. "Family boundary ambiguity and the measurement of family structure: the significance of cohabitation," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 46(1), pages 85-101, February.
    2. J. Jill Suitor & Karl Pillemer & Jori Sechrist, 2006. "Within-Family Differences in Mothers' Support to Adult Children," Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Gerontological Society of America, vol. 61(1), pages 10-17.
    3. Karen L. Fingerman & Lindsay M. Pitzer & Wai Chan & Kira Birditt & Melissa M. Franks & Steven Zarit, 2010. "Who Gets What and Why? Help Middle-Aged Adults Provide to Parents and Grown Children," Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Gerontological Society of America, vol. 66(1), pages 87-98.
    4. Elizabeth Fussell & Anne H. Gauthier & Ann Evans, 2007. "Heterogeneity in the Transition to Adulthood: The Cases of Australia, Canada, and the United States," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 23(3), pages 389-414, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Heather H. Kelley & Ashley B. LeBaron & E. Jeffrey Hill, 2021. "Family Matters: Decade Review from Journal of Family and Economic Issues," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 20-33, July.
    2. Maude Pugliese & Céline Le Bourdais & Shelley Clark, 2021. "Credit Card Debt and the Provision of Financial Support to Kin in the US," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 616-632, December.
    3. Jan E. Mutchler & Nidya Velasco Roldán, 2023. "Economic Resources Shaping Grandparent Responsibility Within Three-Generation Households," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 461-472, June.

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