ABSTRACT
The move of young adult children from their parents’ home is often a highly significant and sometimes traumatic event for both parents and children. Many mothers worry about what their children will eat, and some adult children are surprised to experience “homesickness.” In the transition to adulthood, parents may withhold the provision of personal services and guidance as their children take on more responsibility for themselves and contribute to household maintenance rather than benefit from their parents’ efforts. The analysis plan is to examine the extent of help as a function of either parents’ or adult children’s income, and to determine whether the extent of help is equally responsive to parents’ and adult children’s income levels. Sensitivity to the circumstances in the lives of close intimates suggests that adult children will provide help to their parents as a function of the parents’ needs, just as parents give help to children in need.
