Dr. Gülçin Con Wright's Participations in XX ISA World Congress of Sociology
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Primary author Dr. Gülçin Con Wright and authors Selenay Kaşkaya and Asya Filiz participated in the 20th ISA World Congress of Sociology with their abstract titled "Within-Family Differences in Downward Support Flows to Adult Children in Turkey during COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis" on June 28, 2023, and with another abstract titled "Adult Children's Transition in or Turkish Families" on 29 June 2023.
Click here for the abstract of "Within-Family Differences in Downward Support Flows to Adult Children in Turkey during COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis"
Abstract
As life expectancy increases, parents and their children enjoy longer years together, and intergenerational support exchanges continue to have a significant influence in later life. Most research has studied the upward flow of support from adult children to their older parents in need of care, even though the downward flow of support continues into children’s transition to adulthood. Additionally, the impacts of crises on the lives of both generations also shape the nature of these flows. The objective of this qualitative study is to examine how and to what extent parental support to adult children in later life is provided in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis in Turkey. To study how these intersecting crises have affected support exchanges between generations, in-depth interviews with 20 older mothers and 14 fathers from families of different socioeconomic backgrounds were conducted. We gathered data from parents on their support provision to each of their adult children by employing a within-family approach. Thus, we had the opportunity to understand, in the face of life-altering crises, which adult children are prioritized by their older parents and for which type(s) of support. Preliminary findings show that adult children’s specific needs related to health events, childcare, job loss, and financial difficulties, and also older parents’ health and financial capabilities, shaped the nature of downward flows, but only to certain children. This means that parental favoritism is influenced not only by parents’ attitudes towards their specific adult children but also children’s needs altered by multiple and intersecting crises.
Click here for the abstract of "Adult Children’s Transition in or out of Marriage and Older Parents’ Wellbeing in Turkish Families"
Abstract
Intergenerational exchanges and support form an important component of later life families, although studies have tended to focus on the upward flows from adult children to older parents in need. However, considering that downward support flows continue even after adult children transition into adulthood as long as parents maintain a good health, any key events in the lives of the younger generation could influence the older generation’s wellbeing. The upward impact of adult children’s life transitions is also shaped by several other mechanisms such as whether the transition in question is considered culturally and normatively acceptable. Non-normative life transitions adult children experience such as job loss and divorce present a host of challenges in the lives of their older parents. Adult children’s characteristics such as gender, age, marital and parental status could further shape this upward impact. In this study, we interviewed members of both generations to understand the complex interconnections between life transitions in the younger generation and the wellbeing of the older generation in Turkish families. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 older mothers and 14 older fathers on their contact and support exchanges with each of their adult children, employing a within-family analysis. Additionally, 8 adult sons and 16 adult daughters were interviewed about their relationships with both their fathers and mothers. Since these interviews were conducted with members of families with different socioeconomic backgrounds, we also had the opportunity to examine how and to what extent older parents utilized their resources to buffer the impact of their adult children’s life events on their wellbeing. Preliminary findings demonstrated a stronger role of cultural norms over gender norms on the upward impacts. Both adult daughters’ and sons’ unapproved marriage formation or divorce had negative influence on their parents’ wellbeing.