Journal Article

Intergenerational Support and Depression Among Elders in Rural China: Do Daughters-In-Law Matter?

Silverstein, Merril, Cong, Zhen

2008

Overview

This study examined the influence of intergenerational assistance with household chores and personal care from sons, daughters, and daughters-in-law on the depressive symptoms of older adults in rural China. The sample derived from rural Anhui Province, a region with a strong hierarchy of support preferences that leads with sons and their families. We used data from a random sample of 1,281 adults aged 60 and over, who were interviewed in 2001 and 2003. Analyses indicated that depressive symptoms were usually reduced by assistance from daughters-in-law and increased sometimes when such support was from sons. These relationships held most strongly when mothers coresided with their daughters-in-law. This research suggests that the benefits of intergenerational support are conditional on culturally prescribed expectations.

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Inc,National Council on Family Relations,Blackwell Publishing,Blackwell,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: Adult Development / adult development and aging / Adults / Aged / Aging (Individuals) / Asian people / China / Chinese culture / coresidence / Data Analysis / Data Collection / Daughters / Depression / Depression (Psychology) / Depressive disorders / Elder care / Family (Sociological Unit) / Family life / Family relations / Family studies / Fathers / Foreign Countries / gender / Helplessness / Housekeeping / intergenerational / Intergenerational Relations / Intergenerational relationships / International Families / Interviews / Kinship / Law / Mental depression / Mothers / non-U.S. families / Older Adults / Older people / Parent Child Relationship / Parents / Peoples Republic of China / Preferences / Rural Areas / Rural life / Sexuality. Marriage. Family relations / Social support / Sociology / Sociology of the family. Age groups / Sons / Statistical Data / Support / Urban Areas / Wellbeing