Article Title: Intergenerational Solidarity and Mental Health in Chinese American Families: A Dyadic Approach
Authors: Mengting Li, Qun Le, Man Guo, Changmin Peng, Fengyan Tang, Wendi Da, Yanping Jiang
About the study:
Family ties play a central role in shaping mental health, but research often looks at parents and children separately. This study breaks new ground by examining both sides of the relationship at once, highlighting how emotional closeness, communication and support flow across generations in Chinese American families. The findings deepen our understanding of immigrant family dynamics and point to the importance of strengthening intergenerational connections as a pathway to better mental health.
Key Insights:
- Mothers who felt emotionally close to their children reported better mental health, while children’s closeness to fathers improved their own well-being.
- Daily contact between fathers and children was linked to better mental health for both generations.
- Emotional support flowing upward from children to parents, and vice versa, was consistently tied to stronger mental health outcomes.
- Financial support from adult children to parents improved parents’ mental health, particularly among fathers and mothers.