Race and Ethnic Variation in Norms of Filial Responsibility among Older Persons

Abstract

Race and ethnic diversity in attachment to the norms of intergenerational filial responsibility is examined in a sample of older persons drawn from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH). The findings show that older Blacks and Hispanics are more likely than older non-Hispanic Whites to agree that each generation should provide coresidence assistance when needed. In terms of attitudes about exchanging financial aid, there tend to be fewer differences between each group. Moreover, in a longitudinal analysis of living arrangements, the impact of race on the likelihood of living with an adult child is reduced to statistical insignificance when variation in commitment to norms governing coresidence is controlled. Key Words: financial assistance, intergenerational relations, living arrangements, minority status, social support. Interest in the family relationships of older minority persons is driven, in part, by the remarkable growth of these populations in American society (e.g., Angel & Hogan, 1992). The non-Hispanic White majority represented nearly 88% of all persons aged 65 years and older in 1990. About 8% of the older population was composed of Blacks, and about 4%, of Hispanics. Yet, by the year 2050, the United States Census Bureau projects that older Blacks and Hispanics combined may account for as much as 26% of all persons over the age of 65 (Treas & Torrecilha, 1995). Improving mortality risk at younger and older ages, younger age distributions, differential fertility, and recent immigration patterns account for much of this relatively rapid increase of minority groups. One reason this growth is important is that some segments of the population of the minority aged appear to experience increased vulnerability with age, compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts. For instance, older Blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately more likely than older White persons to be poor, to have poorer health, and to experience more functional limitation. Recent evidence shows that older members of minorities are more likely than their majority counterparts to use certain types of formal services (e.g., Mui, Choi, & Monk, 1998), yet Black and Hispanic elders are less likely to rely on institutions for long-term care. Research published in the 1960s and 1970s suggests that minority elders were at least partially sheltered from the worst outcomes of these risks because they were immersed in strong kin support systems-moreso than Whites. In essence, the research tended to suggest that when it came to the family ties of the older minority person, the norms of filial responsibility were stronger for minorities than for Whites. Recent research, however, shows that differences between Blacks and Whites with respect to the actual exchanges of aid and services between family members may not be as significant as once thought (e.g., Silverstein & Waite, 1993). To understand the association between norms of filial responsibility and actual behavior, research is needed that compares attitudes about intergenerational support across racial and ethnic groups, combined with analyses of the impact of these attitudes on behavior. This article addresses the issue by evaluating two specific features of intergenerational filial responsibility: attitudes about coresidence and providing financial assistance in times of need. We also evaluate whether attitudes about intergenerational coresidence are related to actual living arrangements. We explore differences in attitudes about filial responsibility among Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics using the NSFH. THEORY AND LITERATURE REVIEW Given that family members are the preferred first line of defense for older persons who need assistance, it is helpful to know what motivates family members to assist other family members. One motivation is assumed to be related to normatively based attitudes about responsibility, duty, and obligation toward others in the family unit. …