Life-Course Analysis of Living Distance between Adult Children of Immigrants and Their Parents

Alon Pertzikovitz, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI)
Matthijs Kalmijn, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Research Institute NIDI/University of Groningen
Marjolijn Das, Statistics Netherlands
Helga A. G. De Valk, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI-KNAW), University of Groningen

The living distance between parents and adult children is a key factor in intergenerational support, yet its life-course evolution, particularly in migrant families, is underexplored. This study examines changes in living distance between immigrant parents and their adult children in the Netherlands over time, focusing on family transitions that influence support needs. Using longitudinal register data from 2006 to 2022, we track individuals born to parents from Suriname, Turkey, or China, measuring their proximity annually. Preliminary panel regression results show a general increase in intergenerational proximity, with shifts during key family events. Distance increases following partnership formation, with co-residence playing a role before this transition (home-leaving into cohabitation). Union dissolution brings generations closer, with returning home common among men. Unlike in the general population, family formation has little effect on proximity among migrants families. The study reveals group differences in parent-child proximity and highlights how traditional kinship systems shape gender differences in proximity. These findings offer insights into intergenerational dynamics and emphasize cultural influences on gendered power relations and family interdependencies in migrant communities.

Keywords: Migrant Populations and Refugees, Internal Migration and Urbanization

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