Gendered Sibling Dynamics in Intergenerational Support Across Widowhood Phases: Evidence from South Korea

Objective: This study examines within-family dynamics in adult children’s support across parental widowhood phases in South Korea.
Background: Although extensive research has explored widowhood and intergenerational support, little is known about how siblings distribute support throughout different stages of widowhood. Viewing widowhood as a process involving the deceased spouse, the surviving spouse, and all adult children, this study investigates which children step up to provide support, what types of support are offered and who tends to withdraw.
Method: Using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (waves 1–9), we analyzed 676 mid- and older-aged parents who became widowed during the survey period and their 2,351 adult children. Multilevel regressions examined how changes in intergenerational support were associated with sibling position (i.e., gender and birth order) and sibship size.
Results: Compare to other siblings, first-born sons increased financial support the most for widowed parents in early widowhood, whereas first-born daughters were most likely to take on caregiving responsibilities for the deceased parent in the pre-terminal phase. However, both forms of support were temporary. Later-born sons reduced their involvement, visiting less frequently and being more likely to move out of co-residence in early widowhood. Additionally, sibship size was negatively associated with changes in children’s caregiving behavior, especially in the pre-terminal phase.
Conclusion: Our findings highlight that intergenerational support in the widowhood transitions is shaped by the interplay of gender, birth order, and timing, rather than gender alone, within the context of Asian patrilineal societies.