Explaining family cohesion in an immigration context: patterns of intergenerational relationship quality among young adult Turks and their parents

Abstract

This exploratory study examines patterns of intergenerational relationships among Turkish migrants in Germany. The aims are (1) to follow-up recent research on relationship types and extent it to migrant families, (2) to contrast patterns among migrants with those associated with non-immigrant Germans, and (3) to analyse the impact of migration-related stressors. We use data from the Germany’s new Family Panel pairfam and a complementary survey on Turkish citizens. Descriptive comparisons indicate the high empirical relevance of all expected patterns, with a slightly higher prevalence of amicable and ambivalent relations, and a somewhat lower prevalence of disharmonious and detached ones among the immigrant community in comparison to the German population. Contrasting the theoretically derived hypotheses, regression analyses reveal the low impact of migration-related variables. Neither discrimination experiences nor acculturation levels seem to affect family ties. In line with the hypothesis, cultural retention in terms of Turkish language skills seems to positively affect the child-father relationship. Results are discussed with regard to family support resources in young and later life.