Do Older Adults Expect Reciprocity When Providing Family Support to Different Generations? Evidence From a Nationally Representative Sample of Rural and Urban China

The debate on whether family caregiving is reciprocal or altruistic remains unresolved. This study examined how older adults’ care expectation is associated with their caregiving for different generations, focusing on direct and indirect reciprocity and altruistic giving. Using baseline data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey ( n = 11,511), we employed a multiple-indicator-multiple-cause model to examine multi-dimensional care expectation in relation to caregiving for their older parents, adult children, and grandchildren. Urban respondents who recently provide support to their adult children or grandchild reported a higher level of care expectation; caregiving for one’s own parents was associated with lower care expectation. A similar pattern was observed among rural respondents, but only for caregiving for adult children was statistically significant. Results suggest that caregiving for descendants is linked to reciprocal expectations, while caregiving for older parents is more altruistic. This study highlights the complex dynamics of intergenerational caregiving and expectations in rural and urban China.