Whom to help and why? Family norms on financial support for adult children among immigrants

Financial support for immigrant-origin children is crucial for their integration and success in the host society. Family solidarity norms among minority populations, however, tend to differ from those regulating intergenerational support exchange among natives. Do such differences reflect specific cultural preferences and expectations? Using original data collected via a semistructured questionnaire featuring vignettes, we explore values and norms about parental financial support towards children among Chinese, Maghrebi and Filipino immigrants in Italy. The vignette analysed here contrasts the beneficiaries of support provided by parents to children (sons versus daughters) and the object of support (opening a new business versus pursuing higher education). Results point to a preference for supporting offspring – especially daughters – who want to invest in an educational career. This attitude is more widespread among Filipino and Chinese respondents than among Maghrebis. Daughters are favoured over sons among Filipinos, whereas the opposite holds for the other two groups. Supporting adult children’s higher education is seen as an efficient investment strategy, reflecting a normative view of children’s life courses.