title: Within-family differences in mothers' support to adult children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this article we explore the ways in which mothers provide support differentially to their adult children and the factors that explain such differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected data for the present analysis during face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of 556 mothers ranging in age from 65 to 78 residing in the greater Boston area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found substantial within-family variation in mother-to-child support. Multivariate analyses revealed a set of factors that explained within-family differences: Mothers were more likely to provide support to children who were daughters, unmarried, lived nearby, had health problems, and had provided the mothers with support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that within-family differences in support to children continue across the life course. Such variations within the family underscore the importance of using designs that provide information on relationships between parents and each of their children, rather than focusing on single parent-child dyads.
authors.affiliation: Purdue University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Stone Hall, 700 West State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. jsuitor@purdue.edu
authors.forename: J Jill
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Suitor
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pillemer
authors.forename: Jori
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sechrist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations