Too Much of a Good Thing? Intergenerational Social Support and the Psychological Well-Being of Older Parents

1996 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merril Silverstein ◽  
Xuan Chen ◽  
Kenneth Heller
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 302-302
Author(s):  
Janet Wilmoth ◽  
Yooumi Lee

Abstract Using longitudinal data from the 2006 to 2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, this study explores depression trajectories among individuals who are 60 or older with at least one living adult child at baseline. We estimated linear growth curve models of depression trajectories separately for married, unmarried and widowed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results indicate that declining health and recent widowhood are positively related to depressive symptoms. Satisfactory intergenerational relationships and social support in the form of caregiving decrease depressive symptoms of older parents, especially among the widowed. Having at least one son and a first-born daughter positively impact psychological well-being of older parents. A son was particularly important for those who are widowed. We conclude that the psychological benefits of intergenerational relationships and social support are contingent upon the vulnerability of Korean older adults and discuss the implications for public policy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S490-S490
Author(s):  
Erik Blanco

Abstract The longevity revolution has led to more years of shared lives between older parents and adult children. Having these extra years together can be offset by the stressful life transitions of widowhood, health declines, and increased level of disability experienced by older parents. These transitions can lower older parents’ psychological well-being. Although social support to/from adult children has the potential to buffer these effects, most older parents wish to remain independent, even in later life, making them reluctant to accept social support from their adult children. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the provision or receipt of social support between older parents and adult children, influences positive mood and negative mood. Secondary data on older adults (n = 461) with adult children who participated in the 2004 wave of the LSOG were used. The results revealed that the provision of social support by older parents to adult children significantly increased parents’ positive mood showing that it is better to give than receive. The results for the receipt of social support were more complex. Results suggest that when someone has a higher level of disability and does not receive social support their negative mood increases, but when someone has a high level of disability and does receive social support there is no effect on negative mood. This proposes that the receipt of social support is particularly important when the parent is in need of support and it is better to receive than give when parents are in need.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 498-498
Author(s):  
Yooumi Lee ◽  
Janet Wilmoth

Abstract This study investigates whether intergenerational relationships and social support improve the psychological well-being of Korean older adults. We examine whether intergenerational relationships and social support directly influence psychological well-being and the extent to which they mediate the distressing consequences of life events such as declining health and recent widowhood. Using longitudinal data from the 2006 to 2016 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, we explore depression trajectories among individuals who are 60 or older with at least one living adult child at baseline. Specifically, we converted data from 5,383 older adults into a person-period file with 24,726 observations over a ten-year period. Then we estimated linear growth curve models of depression trajectories separately for men and women using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results from the hierarchical linear models indicate that declining health and recent widowhood are positively related to depressive symptoms. Satisfactory intergenerational relationships and social support in the form of personal interactions and proximate living arrangements with adult children decrease depressive symptoms of older parents, especially among women. We conclude that the psychological benefits of intergenerational relationships and social support are contingent upon the vulnerability of older adults and discuss the implications for public policy.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205015792110011
Author(s):  
Piper Liping Liu ◽  
Tien Ee Dominic Yeo

This study investigates the contextual and relational characteristics that underlie people’s information and communication technology (ICT) use and the implications for their well-being. We contextualize this investigation according to migrants, because they are faced with disruptions to their personal networks in the migration process that may attenuate the availability of social support and negatively affect their mental health. Migrants tend to be proficient in using mobile ICT to connect with different social ties to fulfill their needs, which potentially makes a difference to their psychological well-being. Through a survey of 504 internal migrant workers in China, we examined the social network factors that underlie multiple mobile ICT use and the attendant influences on social support and psychological well-being. Redressing the overemphasis on the importance of strong ties in extant literature, this study highlights the salience of mobile media multiplexity (i.e., the use of multiple mobile communication channels for social interactions) in weak tie communication and the greater contribution of weak ties toward social support and psychological well-being than strong ties. Our findings suggest that mobile-mediated communicative relationships with newer and more distanced social connections outside their immediate circles enhance the well-being of migrants. We contend that media multiplexity vis-à-vis weak ties underscores the reconfiguration of migrants’ communicative relationships following the separation from original ties and facilitates rewarding interactions with new ties.


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