Emotional support from parents early in life, aging, and health.
The purpose of this study is to estimate the relationship between receiving emotional support from parents early in life and an individual's health in adulthood. Analysis of data from a nationally representative sample of adults ages 25-74 years suggests that a lack of parental support during childhood is associated with increased levels of depressive symptoms and chronic conditions in adulthood. These associations between early parental support and adult health persist with increasing age throughout adulthood. Personal control, self-esteem, and social relationships during adulthood account for a large portion of these long-term associations. These findings underscore the importance of adopting a life course perspective in studying the social determinants of health among adults.
Shaw
Benjamin A
BA
Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior, School of Public Health, University of New York, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA. bashaw@albany.edu
Krause
Neal
N
Chatters
Linda M
LM
Connell
Cathleen M
CM
Ingersoll-Dayton
Berit
B
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires