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Race-Ethnic Differences in Step- Versus Biological Parent Support to Adult Children and Grandchildren

Wiborg, Corrine Elizabeth
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1660232019879312

Abstract Details

2022, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, Sociology.
Greater longevity increases the potential share of later life that individuals spend as a parent or grandparent (Margolis 2016; Margolis and Verdery 2019; Wachter 1997). Moreover, increases in marital instability raise the possibility that stepparents and step-grandparents may become an important role for many older adults. Although prior research has demonstrated that step-parenthood and step-grandparenthood are more common among non-Hispanic Black individuals (Yahirun, Park, and Seltzer 2018), we know less about how these roles vary across racial/ethnic groups. Using data from the 2015-2017 Add Health Parent Study (AHPS), this study examines racial/ethnic differences in step- versus biological parent support of adult children and grandchildren. Specifically, the study assesses instrumental support from parents to their adult children who are also parents, and thus offers a measure of indirect support to grandchildren. Additional analyses examine direct grandparent to grandchild support via anticipated childcare availability. Findings from this study suggest that biological parent families provide more instrumental support to adult children with activities such as childcare, errands, transportation, chores, or hands-on care in the past 12 months compared to stepparent families. Moreover, among individuals who did provide instrumental support to their adult child, the hours spent providing support were greater in biological parent families than stepparent families. However, race/ethnicity moderates the relationship between stepfamily structure and hours of instrumental support, such that the step- biological gap is smaller for Hispanic families compared to non-Hispanic White families. Furthermore, the additional analysis found that step-grandparents are less likely to anticipate helping their grandchild “a great deal” in the next 12 months. Findings from this study contribute to the broader literature on family complexity and racial/ethnic differences across kinship networks of American families.
Jenjira Yahirun, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
I-Fen Lin, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Kelly Stamper Balistreri, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
61 p.
Sociology
Family; intergenerational support; instrumental care; race/ethnicity; biological versus stepparent families; step-grandparent families

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wiborg, C. E. (2022). Race-Ethnic Differences in Step- Versus Biological Parent Support to Adult Children and Grandchildren [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1660232019879312

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wiborg, Corrine. Race-Ethnic Differences in Step- Versus Biological Parent Support to Adult Children and Grandchildren. 2022. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1660232019879312.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wiborg, Corrine. "Race-Ethnic Differences in Step- Versus Biological Parent Support to Adult Children and Grandchildren." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1660232019879312

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1660232019879312
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This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.