Intergenerational Age Gaps and a Family Member’s Well-Being: A Family Systems Approach

ABSTRACT

As more individuals belong to multigeneration lineages wherein four or more generations are alive at the same time, this study examines the link between intergenerational age gaps and their impact on family members’ well-being. Adopting the family systems perspective, where family members are viewed as interdependent, this study uses the third wave of the National Survey of Families and Households, 2001–2003, to investigate whether the mean of and variation in age gaps between generations within a family lineage are associated with a family member’s self-rated health, depression level, and general well-being. The results indicate that family members who belong to a lineage with longer age gaps are more likely to report better health, a lower degree of depression, and better general well-being than those from shorter-age-gap lineages. Higher variation in age gaps is related to lower well-being outcomes. Practice implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Age gap
• family system
• intergenerational relations
• well-being

Acknowledgment

The author is grateful to comments and input from Dr. Sarah H. Matthews.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rongjun Sun

Rongjun Sun, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Criminology, Anthropology, and Sociology at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio.