Within-family differences in mothers' support to adult children.
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.
Suitor
J Jill
JJ
Purdue University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Stone Hall, 700 West State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. jsuitor@purdue.edu
Pillemer
Karl
K
Sechrist
Jori
J
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations