Family Ties, Living Arrangement, and Marital Satisfaction

This study investigates the role of strong family ties in the decisions of living arrangement and intergenerational transfer as well as their effects on marital satisfaction in Taiwan where cultural traditions emphasize more familial interest and filial obligations. Even though the rapid economic and democratic developments have led to many adjustments in family structure, this study’s findings suggest that intergenerational relationship still strongly affects the level of marital satisfaction for married children. The strength of family ties is positively correlated with the possibilities of intergenerational co-residence and resource transfer. However, the positive effect of intergenerational co-residence on marital satisfaction is relatively more apparent for married individuals when they live with their own fathers. The influences of strong family ties tend to take place along male lineage under the structure of a patrilineal family.