Psychology

Failure to grow up, failure to pay? Parents’ views of conflict over money with their emerging adults

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of emerging adulthood and intergenerational ambivalence, parental concerns about their child’s attainment of adulthood was investigated as the focal predictor of the likelihood of monetary conflict between American parents and emerging adults. A national sample of 791 parents (51% female; 73% White) of emerging adults (18-29 years old) completed surveys. Results showed that 43% of parents experienced monetary conflict with their emerging adult, and one in five were “very concerned” that their child would not attain adulthood. Additionally, the odds of monetary conflict were 3.11 times higher when parents endorsed greater concerns about attaining adulthood (e.g., might never become fully adult). This association was the strongest beyond key demographic, parental well-being, and parent–emerging adult relationship factors. Findings help illuminate the basis of monetary conflict in emerging adulthood and indicate parents’ fears of “failure to launch” may have very real consequences, suggesting implications for financial socialization.

Publication Title

Journal of Family Issues

Publication Date

2020

Volume

41

Issue

3

First Page

359

Last Page

382

ISSN

0192-513X

DOI

10.1177/0192513X19876061

Keywords

failure to launch, intergenerational ambivalence, parental financial support, parent–emerging adult conflict, parent–emerging adult relationships

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