Living Arrangements of Older Parents and Economic Support By Adult Children: Comparison of Parents and Parents-in-Laws of Married Women in Korea
Despite the substantial volume of findings from studies on the relationships between elderly parents and adult children, previous research has several limitations in accounting for married women’s provision of economic support to their parents and parents-in-law. First, studies on living arrangements of elderly parents are conducted separately from studies on economic supports to elderly parents. Second, living arrangements of elderly parents are not adequately considered in the analysis on the provision of economic support by adult children. Thus, the purpose of this study is to simultaneously examine 1) predictors for living arrangements of parents and parents-in-laws of married women, and 2) predictors for the provision of economic supports to their parents and parents-in-laws.
Methods
Using the third wave of the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families (KLoWF), this study examines living arrangements of elderly parents and parents-in-law of married women and economic support by them. The KLoWF is a panel survey of women aged 19-64 in Korea. Using the third wave of the KLoWF conducted in 2010, this study uses two samples: 1) parent sample (n=3,560), 2) parent-in-law sample (n=3,555). Using multinomial logit analysis, we analyze the factors associated with living arrangements of elderly parents and parents-in-law of married women. Binary logit analysis is used to identify factors related to the provision of economic supports to parents and parents in-law by married women.
Results
Since kinship relationship is patrilineal in Korea, caring for parents-in-law is a high priority for married women. They are expected to support their parents-in-law as well as their parents. Married women in Korea are more likely to live with their parents-in-law than with their parents. They are more likely to provide economic supports to their parents-in-law than to their parents. The provision of economic supports depends on living arrangements of elderly parents and parents-in-law.
Regarding factors associated with living arrangements of parents of married women, mutual interests of married women and their parents are associated with the coresidence of elderly parents with their adult children. For example, working women having younger children and having parents with health problems are more likely to live with their parents. Factors associated with the provision of economic supports to parents depend on living arrangements of their parents. When parents live with respondents’ other siblings, economic factors such as income are positively associated with the provision of economic support. However, when parents live separately, more complicated factors are associated with economic support to them. Analysis on parents-in-law also shows similar patterns.
Implications
This study examines living arrangements of the elderly from the viewpoint of married women who have dual burden of caring for their parents-in-law as well as their parents. While provision of economic supports is mainly associated with economic capacities of married women, living arrangements of parents are associated with mutual interests of elderly parents and adult children. The finding that the provision of economic support is contingent on living arrangements of elderly parents and parents-in-law asks more comprehensive analysis on parent-child relationships in later life.