Coresidence and parent-adult child closeness and conflict: The influence of social class, parenting strategies and economic efficacy
Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Using data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) this study used two sets of analyses to explore both closeness and conflict between parents and adult children (n=878).This study had three primary goals: (1) to understand how returning to and never leaving the parental home as a young adult influenced parent-adult child relationships; (2) to assess how parenting strategies (i.e., support and monitoring) mediated associations between social class and parentadult child relationships; and (3) to explore whether economic efficacy (i.e., the perception that the young adult is financially confident about his or her future) mediated the relationship between social class and parent-adult child relationships.Regarding the first research goal, I found that returning to the parental home, compared with living independently, was associated with greater conflict, but was not associated significantly with parental closeness.In addition, staying in the parental home was associated with more conflict compared with living independently.Regarding the second research goal, parental support mediated the relationship between social class and parental closeness.Young adults from more, compared with less, affluent backgrounds reported higher levels of parental support and subsequently higher levels of closeness.Although monitoring of adolescents was related to less conflict, monitoring did not mediate associations between social class and parental conflict.Finally, economic efficacy mediated the relationship between social class and parental closeness.Young adults from more affluent backgrounds had higher levels of economic efficacy and subsequently greater closeness with parents compared with less affluent young adults.iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank a number of people who have helped me throughout this journey of completing my Master's Thesis.First, I would like to express my gratitude to the BGSU sociology department for providing me with the opportunity to cultivate my intellectual and academic abilities through the exploration of my research interests.Second, I would like to thank my thesis chair, Dr. Monica A. Longmore, who provided me with thoughtful and critical feedback and supported me throughout this entire process.I would also like to
Author: Vanessa Wanner Lang
Institution: Bowling Green State University
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2521371578