PARENT-CHILD RELATIONS AMONG VERY OLD PARENTS IN WALES AND THE UNITED-STATES - A TEST OF MODERNIZATION THEORY

This study contrasts the structure of parent-child relationships of ol der parents living in Wales, U.K. with those of older parents living i n the United States. Specifically, we examine whether the principal di mensions of intergenerational solidarity, and their associations with each other, are invariant across two national cultures. Comparable mea sures are assessed from the responses of older parents participating i n three surveys: Banger Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 139), USC Lo ngitudinal Study of Generations (N = 129), and AARP Study of Intergene rational Linkages (N = 102). Overall, there were fewer differences tha n expected among the samples. Although proximity and contact with adul t children were higher among older parents in the Wales sample, there were no appreciable differences in emotional closeness and receipt of help. However, there was a significantly higher correspondence between proximity and emotional closeness among Welsh parents than among both samples of American parents, suggesting that parents in North Wales f orge more intimate ties with local children. Moreover, older Welsh par ents were more likely than older parents in the American samples to re ceive help from children who were both proximate and emotionally close . The results are interpreted in terms of the greater importance that neolocality plays in promoting intergenerational integration within mo re traditional cultures and more rural societies.