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Older people's relationships with their adult children in multicultural Australia: a comparison of Australian-born people and Chinese immigrants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2016

XIAOPING LIN ,
CHRISTINA BRYANT ,
JENNIFER BOLDERO  and
BRIONY DOW
XIAOPING LIN*
Affiliation:
National Ageing Research Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia.
CHRISTINA BRYANT
Affiliation:
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia. Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
JENNIFER BOLDERO
Affiliation:
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia.
BRIONY DOW
Affiliation:
National Ageing Research Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia. School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Xiaoping Lin, National Ageing Research Institute, P.O. Box 2127, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria 3050, Australia E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Against the background of population ageing and increasing cultural diversity in many Western countries, the study examined differences and similarities between Australian-born people and Chinese immigrants in their relationships with adult children. The specific research questions were: (a) are there differences between these groups in the nature of parent–child relationships; and (b) if there were differences, did these differences reflect the Confucian concept of filial piety among older Chinese immigrants. The solidarity–conflict model and the concept of ambivalence were used to quantify parent–child relationships. Data from 122 community-dwelling people aged 65 and over (60 Australian-born and 62 Chinese-born people) were collected using standardised interviews. There were significant differences between the two groups for all relationship dimensions except associative solidarity. Compared to Australian participants, Chinese participants were more likely to live with their children. However, when they did not live with their children, they lived further away. They were also more likely to receive, but less likely to provide, instrumental help. Finally, they reported higher levels of normative solidarity, conflict and ambivalence, and lower levels of affectual and consensual solidarity. The differences in solidarity dimensions persisted when socio-demographic variables were controlled for. The study revealed complex differences in the nature of older parent–child relationships between Australian-born people and Chinese immigrants. Some of these differences, such as more prevalent multigenerational living among older Chinese immigrants, likely reflect the strong influence of filial piety among this group. However, differences in other dimensions, such as lower levels of consensual solidarity, might be associated with the Chinese participants’ experience as immigrants. This study also highlights the usefulness of the solidarity–conflict model as a theoretical framework to understand the nature of parent–child relationships among older Chinese immigrants.

Keywords

older parent–child relationshipsintergenerational relationshipssolidarity–conflict modelambivalencefilial pietyolder Chinese immigrants
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 37 , Issue 10 , November 2017 , pp. 2103 - 2127
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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