The well-being of older adults is a global concern, especially in nations with underdeveloped welfare systems, where family support plays a crucial role. This research focuses on China, a country characterized by strong family ties and a still-developing social safety net. Existing literature explores the impact of adult children's intergenerational support (financial, care, and spiritual) and socioeconomic status (education and income) on older adults' well-being. While previous studies indicate that financial support is positively linked to older adults' health and life satisfaction, there's less clarity on the influence of children's socioeconomic status. Some research suggests a positive impact based on the assumption that wealthier children provide more support, but this hasn't been comprehensively verified. Furthermore, comparative research analyzing both intergenerational support and socioeconomic status simultaneously is limited. This study addresses this gap by examining these factors in a Chinese context, considering China's unique socio-cultural background, family structures, and the relatively underdeveloped welfare and elderly care systems. Specifically, the study accounts for China's urban-rural divide, which significantly affects family dynamics and older adults' dependence on children. The study also considers variations in family size (one child, two children, three or more children) as family structure significantly impacts intergenerational relationships. The study aims to enhance theoretical understanding of the influence of adult children on older adults’ psychological well-being, offering valuable insights for policy development in China.

Existing literature extensively examines the influence of intergenerational support and adult children's socioeconomic status on the well-being of older adults. Studies on intergenerational support often focus on financial, care, and spiritual dimensions, consistently demonstrating a positive correlation between financial support and improved well-being. However, some scholars suggest that excessive support can negatively impact older adults' self-esteem and independence. Research on the impact of adult children's socioeconomic status has primarily investigated the effects of education level, with studies conducted in various regions like Taiwan, Sweden, Mexico, and the United States showing a positive association between children's education and parental health. However, studies on the impact of income level are comparatively scarce. While generally accepted that higher socioeconomic status positively impacts older adults' well-being by enabling increased support, this causal relationship lacks thorough investigation. This study aims to address these limitations by simultaneously analyzing the roles of intergenerational support and socioeconomic status within a unified model, using China's unique context as a case study.

This study utilizes data from the 2014 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), a large-scale, multi-stage probability sampling survey covering 29 provinces in China. The initial sample included 11,201 older adults with children; after excluding cases with missing data, the final sample comprised 9146 participants. The study employs descriptive statistical analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships between variables. SEM is used due to its advantages in handling measurement variable aggregation and group comparisons. The bootstrap method is used for testing mediating effects. Well-being is measured using self-rated life satisfaction and self-rated health. Intergenerational support includes financial, care, and spiritual support from children. Socioeconomic status of adult children is measured by education level and financial conditions. Control variables include gender, age, marital status, education level, and employment status of the older adults. The sample is categorized into six groups based on the number of children (one, two, three or more) and urban/rural residence. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is used to assess the validity and reliability of measurement models. Group comparison methods within SEM are applied to compare the significant differences among models for different groups. Goodness-of-fit indices (GFI, AGFI, IFI, CFI, RMSEA, X²/DF) are used to evaluate model fit.

The study's descriptive statistics reveal high levels of life satisfaction among Chinese older adults, with those having multiple children reporting slightly higher satisfaction. However, self-rated health is generally lower among those with multiple children, particularly in urban areas. The education level of adult children decreases with the number of children, particularly in rural areas. Urban adult children generally have higher education levels and better financial conditions compared to rural counterparts. Financial support from children also decreases with the number of children, with urban children providing marginally more support. Care support shows a similar trend, while spiritual support remains consistently high, exceeding financial and care support. The CFA results confirm the reliability and validity of all measurement models. Group comparison analysis reveals significant differences in model path coefficients across various groups. In the one-child group, the financial condition of adult children significantly impacts older adults' well-being, irrespective of urban/rural residence. Spiritual support is also significant in the urban one-child group. In the two-child group, financial condition remains a significant predictor of well-being; education level becomes significant in the rural setting. In the multiple-children group, financial condition and spiritual support remain strong predictors of well-being, with education level achieving significance in urban areas. Care support demonstrates significance in both urban multiple children and rural two-child groups. The impact of adult children's financial condition on well-being consistently outperforms that of intergenerational support across all groups. The mediating effect of intergenerational support on the relationship between children's financial conditions and parental well-being is minimal and not consistently significant across groups.

The findings challenge the assumption that improved socioeconomic status leads to greater intergenerational support, which then enhances older adults' well-being. The significant and consistent influence of adult children's financial conditions on older adults' well-being suggests that, in China, parental well-being is directly tied to children's economic success. This finding could be attributed to the relatively lower disposable income among Chinese residents, leading parents to prioritize children's financial security over other aspects. The relatively lesser impact of intergenerational support, particularly financial support, suggests that the desire of Chinese older adults is for their children to thrive financially, rather than receiving substantial financial aid themselves. The observed strong influence of spiritual support underscores the importance of emotional connection and reassurance in shaping parental well-being. The limited mediating role of intergenerational support indicates that the direct effect of children's financial status outweighs indirect effects through increased support. These findings hold implications for intergenerational relationship theories and emphasize the need to tailor policy recommendations to the unique cultural and economic context of China.

This study highlights the paramount importance of adult children's financial well-being in relation to the well-being of Chinese older adults. The direct influence of children's financial status surpasses that of intergenerational support, challenging existing theoretical frameworks. Future research should incorporate updated data to account for societal changes since 2014 and explore the integration of subjective and objective data on children's financial conditions. These findings emphasize the need for policies aimed at improving the financial stability of younger generations, which can indirectly enhance the quality of life for older adults in China.

The study's reliance on 2014 CLASS data limits the generalizability of findings due to potential societal shifts since then. The subjective assessment of children's financial conditions, while readily available in the dataset, may introduce some bias. Future research incorporating objective income data would strengthen the analysis. The focus on a specific cultural context may limit the broad application of the findings to other societies. Exploring the potential influence of other factors that contribute to the well-being of older adults, beyond those studied in this research, could enrich future studies.