18 research outputs found
FP-23-12 Adult Children’s Four-year College Completion by Parent’s Race, Ethnicity, and Educational Attainment
The Education of Multiple Family Members and the Life-Course Pathways to Cognitive Impairment
OBJECTIVES: This article asks how the educational attainments of multiple family members, including parents and offspring, are associated with the cognitive health of older adults in the United States.
METHODS: We use panel data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (2000-2012) to examine how the education of an individual, their parent(s), and their offspring are associated with the prevalence of moderate/severe cognitive impairment and the onset of cognitive impairment among older adults using logistic regression and discrete-time event history analysis, respectively.
RESULTS: We found that when combined, only the education of the individual is inversely associated with cognitive impairment at baseline. However, both the educational attainments of an individual and their offspring are negatively associated with the risk of becoming cognitively impaired, among individuals who were not already cognitively impaired. Conversely, parental education was not predictive of being cognitively impaired or the onset of impairment. Furthermore, we found that respondent gender did not moderate the relationship between a family member\u27s education and respondent cognitive health.
DISCUSSION: This study adds to current research by asking how resources from earlier and subsequent generations matter for older adults\u27 cognitive health. Although we found little evidence that parental education matters at this life stage, results suggest that offspring education has a salient positive effect on later-life cognitive health. This finding underscores an overlooked source of health disparities-offspring resources-and highlights how a family perspective remains a powerful tool for understanding health inequalities in later life
Offspring Educational Attainment and Older Parents\u27 Cognition in Mexico
Population-level disparities in later-life cognitive health point to the importance of family resources. Although the bulk of prior work establishes the directional flow of resources from parents to offspring, the linked lives perspective raises the question of how offspring resources could affect parental health as well. This paper examines whether adult children\u27s education influences older parents\u27 (aged 50+) cognitive health in Mexico, where schooling reforms have contributed to significant gains in the educational achievements of recent birth cohorts. Harnessing a change in compulsory school laws and applying an instrumental variables approach, we found that each year of offspring schooling was associated with higher overall cognition among parents, but was less predictive across different cognitive functioning domains. More offspring schooling improved parents\u27 cognitive abilities in verbal learning, verbal fluency, and orientation, but not in visual scanning, visuo-spatial ability, or visual memory. The beneficial effects of offspring schooling on those cognitive domains are more salient for mothers compared to fathers, suggesting potential gendered effects in the influence of offspring schooling. The results remained robust to controls for parent-child contact and geographic proximity, suggesting other avenues through which offspring education could affect parental health and a pathway for future research. Our findings contribute to growing research which stresses the causal influence of familial educational attainment on population health
Family Obligation Across Contexts: Hispanic Youth in North Carolina and Southern California
Over the past decade, the Hispanic population has grown in areas with little to no history of recent immigration. Prior research comparing Hispanics in new and established destinations has chiefly focused on differences in socioeconomic indicators of assimilation. Our paper departs from this work by shifting the focus to sociocultural outcomes. Specifically, we use data from Los Angeles and North Carolina to examine differences in the strength of family obligation (N=552). We find that demographic characteristics explain all of the geographic difference in family obligation between these locations. However, we also find that co-ethnic concentration is positively correlated with adolescents’ endorsement of future family support, once ethnic identity is included in the analysis
Race, Ethnic, and Nativity Differences in Intergenerational Relationships
International migration over the past half century has increased the racial and ethnic diversity of countries in North America and Western Europe. My dissertation highlights two ways in which intergenerational relationships can be studied in light of increasing population heterogeneity. One approach is to assess whether immigrants and their descendants adopt "mainstream" attitudes, norms and behaviors related to parent-child relationships over time. A second approach is to explore ways in which increasing population diversity changes the influence that parents and offspring have over one another and the ways in which they interact. In my first chapter, I adopt the first approach and ask how social contexts influence immigrants' attitudes towards family obligation and in particular, the difference between attitudes of immigrants and the native born towards family support. This chapter examines nativity differences in intergenerational obligation across two social contexts: Germany and the Netherlands. Intergenerational obligation is defined as the extent to which parents and children feel a sense of duty to assist one another and to take into account the needs and wishes of each other when making decisions. The paper focuses on first- and second-generation Turkish immigrants only and compares them to their native counterparts in Germany and the Netherlands. By comparing immigrants and their descendents from the same sending country to the "native" population of two countries, a main obstacle that commonly hinders cross-national migration research - comparing immigrants from different countries across contexts - is addressed. I use data from the Generations and Gender Survey and apply structural equation models in the main analysis. After demonstrating consistency in the measurement and meaning of intergenerational obligation across groups, I find that immigrants have stronger family ties than natives in both countries. However, the nativity gap is much smaller in Germany compared to the Netherlands. In addition, the overall level of family obligation is lower among Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands compared to their counterparts Germany. I explain these differences from a policy perspective: More generous social welfare supports for families as well as multicultural policies that help immigrants retain their cultural identity in the Netherlands, compared to Germany, shed light on these findings. Importantly, the results suggest that attitudes towards family obligation are not fixed upon arrival; rather, they vary depending on the contexts into which immigrants settle. The findings speak to previous research that often describe differences between immigrants and natives as if immigrants' characteristics are fixed, ignoring the role that the receiving country context plays in altering immigrants' behaviors and attitudes.My second chapter asks how increasing population diversity affects the type of partner individuals choose to marry and whether parent-child relationships influence these decisions. I apply a linked lives approach by exploring the connection between parent-child ties and when and whom offspring marry. Parental resources and parent-child relationships are well-known factors influencing children's family formation behaviors. Parents shape when offspring marry, whether they cohabit before marriage, when they have children and the number of children they have. However, far less is known about how parent-child relationships affect who children marry. Growing population diversity and changing patterns of race/ethnic segregation provide individuals with more opportunities to meet partners of a different race/ethnic background than their own. Although recent research asserts that parental influence on children's marital behaviors is waning, parents may still influence who children choose to marry. In this chapter, I use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to investigate how parent-child relationships during adolescence affect the timing and type of marriage young adults choose. I ask whether strong parent-child relationships are more likely to lead to marriage, rather than remaining single and whether they are positively associated with entry into a same-race, rather than cross-race exogamous unions. Finally, I ask whether the association between parent-child ties and offspring's union formation vary across race/ethnic and nativity groups. The results from this chapter suggest that individuals with closer ties to the family of origin start families of their own at younger ages. Yet the effect of parent-child relationships on offspring's marital timing is moderated somewhat by the respondent's background. In addition to influencing when children marry, strong emotional support across generations tends to increase the probability of entering into a same-race union, rather than a racially exogamous union. The third and final chapter of my dissertation examines how marriage and intermarriage in particular affects young adults' ties to parents. Family scholars today argue that modern marriage privileges self-fulfillment and a reliance on partners to fulfill emotional and social needs that did not characterize marriage among earlier generations. An emphasis on couple quality and the time and resources needed to maintain such partnerships may have negative consequences for ties to parents. I use data from the most recent wave of National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and ask how marriage, and exogamous versus endogamous marriage in particular, are associated with ties to mothers. I also ask whether the association between offspring's union type and intergenerational ties are stronger for some groups compared to others, and whether the specific race of the partner matters. Findings from this chapter suggest that married children are not completely detached from mothers; rather, they occupy a middle ground. Married children tend to live nearby, but not close to mothers and tend to visit weekly, but not daily compared to those who are single. Who offspring marry also affects relationships with mothers. Children who married across race/ethnic lines are less likely to live near mothers compared to those who married within race/ethnic lines. Because of the geographic distance, these individuals are also less likely to visit or talk to mothers frequently compared to those who married within race/ethnic boundaries. However, the consequences of intermarriage are particularly detrimental for some groups compared to others. Hispanics, Asians and children of immigrants tended to have worse relationships with mothers following intermarriage compared to Whites and children of U.S. natives. These results highlight how intermarriage - a commonly understood mechanism that at the population level decreases the distance between groups - may in fact detrimentally affect ties among family members involved
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Race, Ethnic, and Nativity Differences in Intergenerational Relationships
International migration over the past half century has increased the racial and ethnic diversity of countries in North America and Western Europe. My dissertation highlights two ways in which intergenerational relationships can be studied in light of increasing population heterogeneity. One approach is to assess whether immigrants and their descendants adopt "mainstream" attitudes, norms and behaviors related to parent-child relationships over time. A second approach is to explore ways in which increasing population diversity changes the influence that parents and offspring have over one another and the ways in which they interact. In my first chapter, I adopt the first approach and ask how social contexts influence immigrants' attitudes towards family obligation and in particular, the difference between attitudes of immigrants and the native born towards family support. This chapter examines nativity differences in intergenerational obligation across two social contexts: Germany and the Netherlands. Intergenerational obligation is defined as the extent to which parents and children feel a sense of duty to assist one another and to take into account the needs and wishes of each other when making decisions. The paper focuses on first- and second-generation Turkish immigrants only and compares them to their native counterparts in Germany and the Netherlands. By comparing immigrants and their descendents from the same sending country to the "native" population of two countries, a main obstacle that commonly hinders cross-national migration research - comparing immigrants from different countries across contexts - is addressed. I use data from the Generations and Gender Survey and apply structural equation models in the main analysis. After demonstrating consistency in the measurement and meaning of intergenerational obligation across groups, I find that immigrants have stronger family ties than natives in both countries. However, the nativity gap is much smaller in Germany compared to the Netherlands. In addition, the overall level of family obligation is lower among Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands compared to their counterparts Germany. I explain these differences from a policy perspective: More generous social welfare supports for families as well as multicultural policies that help immigrants retain their cultural identity in the Netherlands, compared to Germany, shed light on these findings. Importantly, the results suggest that attitudes towards family obligation are not fixed upon arrival; rather, they vary depending on the contexts into which immigrants settle. The findings speak to previous research that often describe differences between immigrants and natives as if immigrants' characteristics are fixed, ignoring the role that the receiving country context plays in altering immigrants' behaviors and attitudes.My second chapter asks how increasing population diversity affects the type of partner individuals choose to marry and whether parent-child relationships influence these decisions. I apply a linked lives approach by exploring the connection between parent-child ties and when and whom offspring marry. Parental resources and parent-child relationships are well-known factors influencing children's family formation behaviors. Parents shape when offspring marry, whether they cohabit before marriage, when they have children and the number of children they have. However, far less is known about how parent-child relationships affect who children marry. Growing population diversity and changing patterns of race/ethnic segregation provide individuals with more opportunities to meet partners of a different race/ethnic background than their own. Although recent research asserts that parental influence on children's marital behaviors is waning, parents may still influence who children choose to marry. In this chapter, I use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to investigate how parent-child relationships during adolescence affect the timing and type of marriage young adults choose. I ask whether strong parent-child relationships are more likely to lead to marriage, rather than remaining single and whether they are positively associated with entry into a same-race, rather than cross-race exogamous unions. Finally, I ask whether the association between parent-child ties and offspring's union formation vary across race/ethnic and nativity groups. The results from this chapter suggest that individuals with closer ties to the family of origin start families of their own at younger ages. Yet the effect of parent-child relationships on offspring's marital timing is moderated somewhat by the respondent's background. In addition to influencing when children marry, strong emotional support across generations tends to increase the probability of entering into a same-race union, rather than a racially exogamous union. The third and final chapter of my dissertation examines how marriage and intermarriage in particular affects young adults' ties to parents. Family scholars today argue that modern marriage privileges self-fulfillment and a reliance on partners to fulfill emotional and social needs that did not characterize marriage among earlier generations. An emphasis on couple quality and the time and resources needed to maintain such partnerships may have negative consequences for ties to parents. I use data from the most recent wave of National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and ask how marriage, and exogamous versus endogamous marriage in particular, are associated with ties to mothers. I also ask whether the association between offspring's union type and intergenerational ties are stronger for some groups compared to others, and whether the specific race of the partner matters. Findings from this chapter suggest that married children are not completely detached from mothers; rather, they occupy a middle ground. Married children tend to live nearby, but not close to mothers and tend to visit weekly, but not daily compared to those who are single. Who offspring marry also affects relationships with mothers. Children who married across race/ethnic lines are less likely to live near mothers compared to those who married within race/ethnic lines. Because of the geographic distance, these individuals are also less likely to visit or talk to mothers frequently compared to those who married within race/ethnic boundaries. However, the consequences of intermarriage are particularly detrimental for some groups compared to others. Hispanics, Asians and children of immigrants tended to have worse relationships with mothers following intermarriage compared to Whites and children of U.S. natives. These results highlight how intermarriage - a commonly understood mechanism that at the population level decreases the distance between groups - may in fact detrimentally affect ties among family members involved
Take Me “Home”: Determinants of Return Migration Among Germany’s Elderly Immigrants
This paper examines the determinants of return migration as foreign-born individuals approach old age in Germany. Return migration in later life engages a different set of conditions than return migration earlier on, including framing return as a possible retirement strategy. Using data from the German Socioeconomic Panel, results suggest that later-life emigrants are “negatively selected” on the basis of economic resources. However, family resources such as spousal characteristics and ties to kin in “home” and “host” countries also shape decisions to return. Results from this paper highlight the broader importance of framing return migration within the processes of international migration and immigrant incorporation
Remittances and risk of major depressive episode and sadness among new legal immigrants to the United States
<b>Background</b>: The impact of remittances on health problems like depression among immigrants is understudied. Yet immigrants may be particularly emotionally vulnerable to the strains and benefits of providing remittances. <b>Objective</b>: This study examines the association between sending remittances and major depressive episode (MDE) and sadness among legal immigrants in the United States. <b>Methods</b>: Cross-sectional data (N=8,236 adults) come from the New Immigrant Survey (2003-2004), a representative sample of new U.S. permanent residents. <b>Results</b>: In logistic regression models, immigrants who remitted had a higher risk of MDE and sadness compared to those who did not, net of sociodemographic and health factors. For remitters (N=1,470), the amount of money was not significantly linked to MDE but was associated with a higher risk of sadness among refugees/asylees compared to employment migrants. <b>Conclusions</b>: Among socioeconomically vulnerable migrants such as refugees/asylees, sending remittances may threaten mental health by creating financial hardship. Initiatives that encourage economic stability for migrants may protect against depression
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Family Obligation across Contexts: Latino Youth in North Carolina and Southern California
Social contexts are often ignored as a possible explanation for ethnic group differences in reports of family obligation. One reason is that too often, social scientists rely on the false dichotomy between economic versus cultural explanations as the culprit behind ethnic differences in family behavior. This study adds much needed nuance to the literature on family obligation among ethnic minority youth by using data from urban and rural North Carolina and Southern California to investigate how social contexts are associated with family obligation. Using a sample of Latino adolescents we find that attending schools in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of co-ethnics is positively associated with family obligation, as is having a strong sense of ethnic identity. In addition, we find that among adolescents attending schools in neighborhoods with other Hispanics, levels of family obligation are higher for those with a stronger, rather than a weaker sense of ethnic belonging