When a parent loses their partner, the family dynamic changes significantly. But who steps up – and who steps back? Researchers have investigated this in a comprehensive study of 676 Korean families with a total of 2,351 adult children.
‘We see that support is not just about gender, but about a complex combination of birth order, sibling distribution and timing,’ says Mengni Chen, assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen, who is behind the study.
The study reveals clear patterns: Eldest sons increase their financial support the most in the early stages of widowhood – but withdraw again after a few years. Eldest daughters take primary responsibility for caring for the dying parent in the terminal phase. Younger sons are least likely to help – both with care to the dying parent and with moving in with the surviving parent.
‘Eldest sons typically step in with money, while eldest daughters take care of the care – but both roles are temporary,’ explains Mengni Chen.
The study shows that support from children increases sharply immediately after death but declines significantly in later stages. According to Mengni Chen, this points to a need for action:
‘Encouraging more balanced sharing of caregiving responsibilities among all family members during the transition to widowhood, regardless of gender and birth order, along with expanding access to professional end-of-life care could help reduce the growing eldercare burden,’ she emphasises.
Mengni Chen points out that the results challenge traditional patriarchal norms in Korea:
‘It is remarkable that daughters – especially the eldest – play such a central role in critical phases. This may contribute to a broader cultural shift from son preference to daughter preference,’ she concludes.
The study, entitled ‘Sibling Dynamics in Adult Children's Support Across Parental Widowhood Phases in Korea’, was co-authored by Mengni Chen and Dahye Kim, Hong Kong Baptist University
It is published in the Journal of Marriage and Family – read the study here .
Journal of Marriage and Family
Observational study
People
Sibling Dynamics in Adult Children's Support Across Parental Widowhood Phases in Korea
14-Nov-2025