Stuck in the Nest? A Review of the Literature on Coresidence in Canada and the United States

Abstract

An historically high proportion of Canadian and American young adults are living with their parents. This trend has stimulated research and theorization of “coresidence,” yet recent reviews of the subject are lacking. In this paper, we examine literature on coresiding families spanning the last 25 years, focusing discussion on their economic, cultural, gendered, familial, and psychological characteristics. We argue that theoretical understanding of this topic is expanding, that knowledge of this issue is improving in nuance, but that, despite these encouraging trends, researchers have neglected to examine the actual practices and consequences of coresidence. As a result, the field offers little guidance to parents, young adults, and family counselors. We recommend that researchers expand their methodological approaches, introducing more longitudinal and qualitative designs to capture the day-to-day practices of these families and the consequences of coresidence over time. In addition, we offer some guiding principles for practitioners working with young adults and their parents, based on our findings.

Keywords:

• Canadian families
• early adulthood
• launching children
• reviews of the literature
• transitions

Note

Notes

1 Fewer than 10 of the studies reviewed include participants whose ages extend beyond this range (cf. Beaupré et al. 2006, 2008; Engelhardt et al., 2016; Goldscheider et al., 2014; Sassler et al., 2008; Turcotte, 2006; White & Rogers, 1997 as exceptions). Even in these cases, ages do not go below 15 years or above 45 years.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Award [grant number 430-2014-00184, 752-2014-2654].