Intergenerational assistance in American and Australian families: The role of parental family structure

In this study, beliefs about the obligation of intergenerational assistance and the actual amount and type of assistance exchanged between adult offspring (aged 27 to 44) and their parents are examined in the United States and Australia. Of particular concern is the role of parental marital status in exchanges of assistance. Life course theory provides a framework for this study. The purpose of comparing the U.S. and Australia is to determine if relevant differences between the two countries have an effect on intergenerational exchanges. The differences of interest concern the lower divorce rate and the greater government support for individuals and families in Australia. Secondary analysis of data from the Australian Family Formation Project, Stage 2 (AFFP2) and the U.S. -based National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) was conducted. Questions were asked of the offspring, concerning the amount of financial, social/emotional, and instrumental help they give to or receive from their parents. I found that divorce has similar roles in intergenerational exchanges in Australia and in the U.S., with offspring from divorced families reporting receiving less help from their parents than those from continuously married families. There also do not appear to be many differences in help exchanged if the mother is deceased, with offspring in both countries generally reporting exchanging less assistance with widowed fathers than continuously married parents. This highlights the importance of women in keeping ties with the extended family. Australian offspring appear to be more likely to give help (particularly instrumental help) to widowed mothers. This greater assistance from offspring, combined with greater support from the government, may indicate that widowed mothers in Australia are receiving greater assistance than similar mothers in the U.S. Overall the similarities in these western post-industrial societies seem to outweigh the differences in divorce rates and government programs and result in largely similar patterns of intergenerational helping