title: Discrepancies in reports of support exchanges between aging parents and their middle-aged children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated predictors of discrepancies in reports of 5 types of support that aging parents and their middle-aged children exchanged with one another. Predictors included structural factors, including needs and resources and dyadic characteristics, and psychological factors, including family obligation and investment in the relationship.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 337 dyads of parents (aged 59-96 years) and their children (aged 40-60 years). Multilevel models assessed the level of discrepancies between dyadic members and examined predictors accounting for the discrepancies. We considered downward (from parent to child) and upward (from child to parent) directions in support exchanges.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For upward support from adult children to their parents, children reported that they gave more than their aging parents reported receiving. For downward support from parents to children, the results differed depending on the type of support. Discrepancies between parents' and children's reports were associated with parents' feelings of obligation toward children and children's ratings of the importance of parent-child relationship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest the importance of considering multiple perspectives and the direction of exchanges between generations. Discrepancies in reports of support reflect both self-enhancement and family context and may be an important source of misunderstanding and conflict between generations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, S110 Henderson Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA. kxk947@psu.edu
authors.forename: Kyungmin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zarit
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Eggebeen
authors.forename: Kira S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Birditt
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Fingerman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D028681:Moral Obligations; D009515:New Jersey; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012944:Social Support; D012945:Social Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors