This research will investigate the influence of family structure on inter-generational relations. The project focuses on family structure, defined in terms of characteristics of both children and parents, including number and gender, employment and marital status, fertility, location and whether biological, step or in-law relations. Key dependent variables include shared living arrangements, several forms of contact, assistance form children to parents and from parents to children, feelings of burden and inequity, and psychological wellbeing. The results will have implications for the likely future of intergenerational relations given current trends in fertility, mortality and gender roles. The research questions will be answered using analysis of two data sets. First is the Longitudinal Study of Aging, containing data on changes in needs and receipt of assistance for over 4000 persons ages 70 and over between 1984 and 1986. Second is an interview survey data set being collected during 1988 for 1200 persons ages 40 and above in the Albany- Schenectady-Troy metropolitan area. This data set contains detailed information on characteristics of all children and living parents of respondents, and on assistance receive by and given by the respondent to these and other persons in the network. It also contains data on other respondent characteristics, on attitudes toward assistance-giving and filial responsibility, feelings of burden and inequity regarding assistance patterns, and psychological wellbeing. The two data sets will expand knowledge of the effects of family structure on inter-generational relations both through longitudinal analysis and a much more complex cross-sectional one than has been possible in previous work.
| Logan, J R; Spitze, G D (1995) Self-interest and altruism in intergenerational relations. Demography 32:353-64 |
| Logan, J R; Spitze, G (1994) Informal support and the use of formal services by older Americans. J Gerontol 49:S25-34 |
| Spitze, G; Logan, J R; Joseph, G et al. (1994) Middle generation roles and the well-being of men and women. J Gerontol 49:S107-16 |
| Miner, S; Logan, J R; Spitze, G (1993) Predicting the frequency of senior center attendance. Gerontologist 33:650-7 |
| Spitze, G; Miner, S (1992) Gender differences in adult child contact among black elderly parents. Gerontologist 32:213-8 |
| Spitze, G; Logan, J R; Robinson, J (1992) Family structure and changes in living arrangements among elderly nonmarried parents. J Gerontol 47:S289-96 |
| Spitze, G; Logan, J (1990) More evidence on women (and men) in the middle. Res Aging 12:182-98 |
