• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.139-158
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• 2017

Following the global trend of the delayed transition to adulthood, the number of unmarried middle aged adult children living with, or economically dependent on their parents has increased in Korea. Middle aged adult children in Korea are traditionally expected to satisfy their duty to support their elderly parents both in economic and emotional needs. This study aims to explore group differences in unmarried adult children in their mid 30s or older and in parents having unmarried middle aged child(ren) depending on co-residency and the children's eonomic dependency in Korea. Using quota sampling in terms of living arrangements (living together vs. living apart), 500 unmarried adult children 35 years of age or older and 500 elderly parents, having at least one unmarried child in the mid of 30s or over, were selected in Seoul, Korea in June 2016. First, the findings show that unmarried adult children living together with their parents and depending on their parents economically were in the lowest level of educational achievement and the lowest level of monthly average income among the respondents. Second, both unmarried adult children and parents from the group of co-residency and economically dependent showed the lowest level of psychological well-being. Third, parents from the group of co-residency and economically independent had mostly positive relationships with children, whereas, parents from the group of living apart and economically dependent reported the most negative relationships. Finally, respondents included in the group of co-residency had positive attitudes toward marriage and the support for their elderly parents regardless of the child's economic dependency. This study has implications for the increasing number of unmarried middle aged adult children and their elderly parents.