Parent-Child Affectionate Communication Across Cultures: Young Adults’ Perceptions in China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the United States

The current study examines affectionate communication between young adult children and their parents across cultures. Participants ( N = 716) from China ( n = 201), Saudi Arabia ( n = 171), South Korea ( n = 159), and the U.S. ( n = 185) reported their perceptions of parents’ affectionate communication in verbal, nonverbal, and supportive aspects; their own affectionate communication toward parents; and relational closeness. The main findings are: (1) young adult children universally perceive their parents as communicating affection more often than they reciprocate, (2) among parents’ affectionate communication, supportive affectionate communication is the only form of communication associated with relational closeness, and (3) culture impacts frequencies of perceived parents’ and young adult children’s own affectionate communication and the association between affectionate communication and relational closeness. Implications for cross-cultural similarities and differences are addressed.