Parent-child closeness post college: the impact of residence, self-efficacy, and family financial support

Abstract

As students graduate from college, family relationships shift to accommodate new roles and life transitions of young adult children. A move back into the parental home, which is becoming more common, can complicate the negotiation of these new roles, as well as impact closeness in families. Much of the literature on parent-child co-residence in young adulthood, however, is nearly 20 years old and does not include college students, differences by young adult residence, and parent-child closeness. Using a sample of college students from Waves III and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study addresses these gaps in the literature by considering the contributions of individual and family factors on parent-child closeness post college. Results revealed that, in contrast to available literature, a return home following college is not related to parent-child closeness. Young adult self-efficacy and parent to child financial support were associated with parent-child closeness after college, but the largest influence on closeness after college was closeness during college. Implications for future research and parenting professionals are provided.