Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.35.4.05
What Goes Around, Comes Around: Childhood Relationship With Parents and Later-Life Caregiving Decisions
Tibor Kovač
; University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Institute of Economics, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Tanja Istenič
; University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jože Sambt
; University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business, Ljubljana, Slovenia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
This study examines whether childhood relationships with parents are associated with informal caregiving later in life and whether this association varies across European institutional contexts. Using SHARE and SHARELIFE data, we estimate logistic regression models for any care and daily care. Better childhood relationships are positively associated with both
outcomes, consistent with long-run emotional reciprocity. We find no robust evidence that this association differs across welfare regimes or by public long-term care expenditure. Dyadic models show that care is directed towards mothers and towards parents with greater needs or closer proximity, while childhood relationship quality does not significantly redirect care between parents within families. These findings suggest that early emotional bonds are associated with who becomes a caregiver, whereas parental needs and proximity shape which parent receives care.
Keywords
caregiving; intergenerational transfers; social exchange theory; SHARE; informal care
Hrčak ID:
352974
URI
Publication date:
4.11.2026.
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