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The Reciprocity of Intergenerational Support and Self-rated Health Among Chinese Older Adults

Publication ,  Journal Article
Liu, S; Zhang, W; Wu, B
Published in: SAGE Open
July 1, 2024

To move beyond the focus on individual types of support, we examined the overall reciprocity of support between older adults and their adult children. Drawing on the theory of esteem enhancement, we hypothesized that the under benefited older adults, defined as older adults whose support provided is larger than support received in intergenerational relationships, may have better health conditions than those with a more or less balanced exchange of support. To test the hypothesis, we examined the relationship between the reciprocity of intergenerational support and self-rated health (SRH) among older adults in China. We also investigated the moderating role of gender in this relationship. Using data collected from 832 older adults in Wuhan, China, we found that compared to those with a balanced level of reciprocal support in the intergenerational relationship, older adults who were under benefited from the intergenerational support had better SRH. This finding is in line with the esteem enhancement theory. We also found that gender moderated the association between the reciprocity of intergenerational support and SRH. Specifically, older women who under benefit from the support had better SRH than older women with a balanced level of reciprocal support. In contrast, older men who under benefit from the support had worse SRH than older men with a balanced level of reciprocal support. This finding highlights the necessity of constructing social psychological frameworks that are attuned to gender variations for a more comprehensive comprehension of health and health-related behaviors among older adults in China.

Duke Scholars

Published In

SAGE Open

DOI

EISSN

2158-2440

Publication Date

July 1, 2024

Volume

14

Issue

3

Related Subject Headings

  • 47 Language, communication and culture
  • 44 Human society
  • 1699 Other Studies in Human Society
  • 1608 Sociology
  • 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
 

Citation

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Liu, S., Zhang, W., & Wu, B. (2024). The Reciprocity of Intergenerational Support and Self-rated Health Among Chinese Older Adults. SAGE Open, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241271208
Liu, S., W. Zhang, and B. Wu. “The Reciprocity of Intergenerational Support and Self-rated Health Among Chinese Older Adults.” SAGE Open 14, no. 3 (July 1, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241271208.
Liu, S., et al. “The Reciprocity of Intergenerational Support and Self-rated Health Among Chinese Older Adults.” SAGE Open, vol. 14, no. 3, July 2024. Scopus, doi:10.1177/21582440241271208.
Journal cover image

Published In

SAGE Open

DOI

EISSN

2158-2440

Publication Date

July 1, 2024

Volume

14

Issue

3

Related Subject Headings

  • 47 Language, communication and culture
  • 44 Human society
  • 1699 Other Studies in Human Society
  • 1608 Sociology
  • 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy