Family obligation and the transition to young adulthood.

Full Abstract

Changes in a sense of obligation to assist, support, and respect the family were examined among an ethnically diverse group of 745 American individuals as they began to move from secondary school into young adulthood. A sense of family obligation increased for all young adults, with slight variations according to ethnic and financial backgrounds. Young adults from Filipino and Latin American families reported the strongest sense of familial duty during young adulthood, which partially explained their tendency to live with and contribute financially to their families. The implications of family obligation for employment and educational persistence depended on age and academic performance in high school. Finally, a sense of family obligation was associated with more positive emotional well-being.

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Author information

Author/s: Fuligni, Andrew J (AJ); Pedersen, Sara (S);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. afuligni(-atsign-)ucla.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Developmental psychology (Dev Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Sep; vol 38 (issue 5) : pp 856-68

Dates: Created 2002/09/10; Completed 2003/03/26; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12220060, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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