Methodological Considerations in Aligning Independent Surveys of Parental Support from Older and Younger Generations: With Illustrative Data from Taiwan

The living arrangements of the elderly and the degree of contact and support exchanged with children can be studied from one of two perspectives either that of the older parent(s) or that of one or more children. This paper makes use of two surveys in Taiwan to examine how well these perspectives coincide. The 1986 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice (KAP) Fertility Survey included detailed questions on family arrangements and fertility practices among couples of reproductive age, while the 1989 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly asked a representative sample of persons age 60 and over questions about living arrangements, support, and contacts. The frequency of coresidence, visits, and financial contributions is compared as reported by parents and children. In addition, indirect estimates of the children's frequencies, which take into account the shifting denominators and the nature of the transaction, are derived. The results show fairly high levels of agreement on reports of coresidence but lower levels on visits and financial support, for the models used. Possible reasons for the lack of alignment are discussed.