Separation and intergenerational family obligations. Evidence from the Netherlands (and Flanders) 8th meeting of the European Network for the Sociological and Demographic Studies of Divorce, Valencia – Spain October 2010 Belinda Wijckmans & Jan Van Bavel Interface Demography

Introduction Process of ageing: Family members important source of informal support o E.g. childcare by grandparents o E.g. care and support for ageing parents by their adult children BUT rising divorce rates! General assumption: divorce & repartnering weaken family ties => Less support by family => Demand on welfare state provisions rises Most research has focused on actual and specific transfers between generations BUT family solidarity is based on attitudes, norms, and values =>Reciprocity often not (legally) guaranteed =>In order to understand why some transfers happen and others don’t, it is important to know the underlying norms, values, and attitudes

Main research questions 1.How are divorce and repartnering in either the parent or adult child generation related to the adult child’s feelings of family obligations - taking into account current parent-child relationship characteristics? 2.Does a change in partnership status have an effect on the adult child’s feelings of family obligations? (preliminary)

Data and methods Netherlands’ Kinship Panel Study (NKPS) – first wave: large scale survey (N=8161) Subsample: Adults with at least one parent living indepently; parent has ever been married (N=5.088) Focus on adult child OLS Regression: E(Family obligations) = β 0 + β 1 X i1 + β 2 X i2 + β 3 X i3

Variables 1. Dependent variables Attitudes on family obligations (filial & parental): explorative factor analysis – Filial obligations (α =.75) Children should look after their sick parents In old age, parents must be able to live in with their children Children who live close to their parents should visit them at least once a week Children should take unpaid leave to look after their sick parents – Parental obligations (α =.79) Parents should support their adult children if they need it Parents should help their adult children financially if they need it Parents should provide lodging to their adult children if they need it

Variables 2. Independent & control variables Divorce and repartnering history of both generations Age & gender adult child Relationship quality Support exchanges Age parent = proxy for health status Educational level adult child Employment adult child Presence of siblings and children

Results NKPS 1: gender

Results NKPS 1: effect of age of respondent

Results NKPS 1: respondent’s divorce

Results NKPS 1: parental divorce

Main research questions 1.How are divorce and repartnering in either the parent or adult child generation related to the adult child’s feelings of family obligations – taking into account current parent-child relationship characteristics? 2.Does a change in partnership status have an effect on the adult child’s feelings of family obligations? (preliminary)

Longitudinal analysis: data & sample NKPS wave 1: 2002 – 2004 & wave 2: Subsample: never divorced/widowed adults in W1 (N=4.694) Very few respondents legally divorced between W1 & W2 => Married (1 st ) or cohabiting in W1 & separated between waves

Longitudinal analysis: preliminary results (OLS) 1.Dependent variables: Δ(Family obligations) = FamObl T2 – FamObl T1 2.Independent & control variables: Age & gender Change in partnership status (Parent(s) deceased between waves) (First and/or subsequent birth(s))

Longitudinal analysis: preliminary results (OLS)

Conclusions NKPS 1 & 2 1.How are divorce and repartnering in either the parent or adult child generation related to the adult child’s feelings of family obligations – taking into account current parent-child relationship characteristics? No evidence of loosening of family ties in adult child’s feelings of obligations: Stronger feelings of obligations for respondents who ever experienced a divorce In general stronger feelings of obligations for respondents who experienced parental divorce Effects are tied to generation in which divorce occurred

Conclusions NKPS 1 & 2 2.Does a change in partnership status have an effect on the adult child’s feelings of family obligations? (preliminary) Results for ‘divorcees’:  NS difference in change in feelings of family obligations with respondents who are still in same marriage/relationship BUT  parameters remain positive = NO evidence of negative divorce effect!  further detailed analyses needed using LGM

Limitations Feelings of family obligations ≠ behaviour!  General normative expectations (‘what should be done) vs. individual circumstances (‘what I would do’)  Role of formal care Direction – upward or downward - of interpreting?  e.g. if adult child = parent Causality?

Appetizer: Flemish data – sample (pre-preliminary results) Divorce in Flanders (DiF) – “first wave”: large scale survey Subsample: – Adults with at least one parent living indepently; parent has ever been married (N=2.416) Focus on partner = adult child

Appetizer: Flemish data – variables 1.Dependent variables Attitudes on family obligations (filial & parental): explorative factor analysis – Filial obligations (α =.74) Children should take responsibility for caring for their parents when parents are in need Children should adjust their working lives to the needs of their parents Children ought to provide financial help for their parents when their parents are having financial difficulties Children should have their parents to live with them when parents can no longer look after themselves – Parental obligations (α =.56) Grandparents should look after their grandchildren if the parents are unable to do so Parents ought to provide financial help for their adult children when their parents are having financial difficulties If their adult children were in need, parents should adjust their own lives in order to help them

Appetizer: Flemish data – variables 2.Independent & control variables Age & gender adult child Partnership status adult child Partnership status parent(s)

Appetizer: Flemish data - Pre-preliminary results (OLS)

Filial obligationsParental obligations Partner (adult child) Divorced, repartnered +0 Divorced, not repartnered ++ Parent Ever divorced -0 Data limitations!!!

Thank you!