Intergenerational Affectual Solidarity in Biological and Step Relations: The Moderating Role of Religious Similarity

Abstract

Objective To examine whether intergenerational religious concordance moderates the gap in affectual solidarity between adult children and their biological versus stepparents over an 11‐year period. Background Previous studies have examined the impact of religion on intergenerational relations in intact, nondivorced families. However, few researchers have explored similar questions regarding the impact of religion on intergenerational relations in stepfamilies. Method Using latent growth curve models, we assessed concordance–discordance in religious affiliation, religious attendance, and religious intensity. Data derived from four waves of the Longitudinal Study of Generations between 1994 and 2005 consisting of 238 mother–child dyads and 148 father–child dyads, each group consisting of both biological and step relations. Results Over the period studied, children had consistently lower affectual solidarity with their stepmothers and stepfathers than with their biological mothers and fathers. Tests of interactions revealed that parent–child concordance in religious affiliation, but not in religious attendance or religious intensity, was associated with a smaller difference in affectual solidarity at baseline and over time between children and their steppparents versus biological parents. Conclusion Parent–child religious affiliation concordance was more closely associated with an increasing intergenerational affectual solidarity in biological parent–child relations than in stepparent–child relations. Implications Differences in religious practice or beliefs need not be a major point of intervention for helping professionals working to avert or bridge cross‐generational rifts or insider–outsider challenges in stepfamilies.

Reciprocal associations between affectual, associational, and normative solidarity with parents during children’s early to established adulthood

“…Guided by the literature, we controlled for respondents’ demographic characteristics (age, gender, race, education, marital status, income, number of siblings) and parents’ characteristics (parents’ marital status and relationship status with children) (Hwang et al, 2019; Baxter et al, 2006; Kalmijn, 2007; Silverstein et al, 1997; Steinbach, 2008). Baseline control variables derived from 2000 (T1) were coded as follows: age in years, race (1 = white , 0 = others ), number of siblings, relationship status of parents (1 = biological / adoptive parents ; 0 = step parents ), and parents’ marital status (1 = married ; 0 = others ).…”

Intergenerational solidarity of adult children with parents from emerging to established adulthood.

“…Previous studies have found that adult children’s demographic characteristics are closely related to intergenerational solidarity with their parents (Hwang et al, 2019; Silverstein et al, 1997). Therefore, we included controls for the following demographic factors measured in 2000: young adults’ age in years, race (0 = others , 1 = White ), and relationship status with each parent (0 = biological parent , 1 = stepparent ), and each parent’s marital status (0 = others , 1 = married ).…”

Is helicopter parenting related to college students’ mental health? A typological and cross‐cultural approach

“…A total of 1,636 American students (response rate: 77%) and 709 Chinese students (response rate: 79%) completed the questionnaire. Previous studies have demonstrated that parents’ gender and the presence of step relations are associated with the quality of parent–child relationships (Hwang et al, 2019). In this study, very few participants reported their stepparents’ helicopter parenting in either the United States or China data.…”