Using data from the Toledo Adolesce

Using data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) this study used two sets of
analyses to explore both closeness and conflict between parents and adult children (n=878). This
study had three primary goals: (1) to understand how returning to and never leaving the parental
home as a young adult influenced parent-adult child relationships; (2) to assess how parenting
strategies (i.e., support and monitoring) mediated associations between social class and parentadult
child relationships; and (3) to explore whether economic efficacy (i.e., the perception that
the young adult is financially confident about his or her future) mediated the relationship
between social class and parent-adult child relationships. Regarding the first research goal, I
found that returning to the parental home, compared with living independently, was associated
with greater conflict, but was not associated significantly with parental closeness. In addition,
staying in the parental home was associated with more conflict compared with living
independently. Regarding the second research goal, parental support mediated the relationship
between social class and parental closeness. Young adults from more, compared with less,
affluent backgrounds reported higher levels of parental support and subsequently higher levels of
closeness. Although monitoring of adolescents was related to less conflict, monitoring did not
mediate associations between social class and parental conflict. Finally, economic efficacy
mediated the relationship between social class and parental closeness. Young adults from more
affluent backgrounds had higher levels of economic efficacy and subsequently greater closeness
with parents compared with less affluent young adults.