Trends in intergenerational coresidence in Taiwan: Age, period, and cohort analysis, 2000–2020

Abstract

In the context of ongoing social and demographic changes, eldercare and living arrangements have become increasingly challenging in many aging societies, including Taiwan. Historically, high levels of coresidence between parents and adult children were largely upheld by filial piety in Taiwan. However, the declining influence of filial traditions has been accompanied by shifts in intergenerational coresidence (IC) patterns. Although tracing how coresidence has evolved is key to understanding family dynamics in East Asian contexts, studies have produced mixed results, largely due to the age-period-cohort (APC) identification problem. To address this gap, this study draws on longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Family Dynamics Survey (2000–2020) and applies an adapted hierarchical APC (HAPC) model to disentangle patterns of parents' coresidence with children across APC trends within a multilevel framework. The analysis reveals that the age effect follows a U-shaped pattern with notable gender differences—women experience a milder decline and an earlier resurgence in IC, along with cohort variations. Among the pre-boomer cohort (1935–1945), coresidence tends to decline, specifically among women, without a clear U-shape, whereas the boomer cohort (1946–1963) sees a rise in IC around age 60. These findings elucidate the complex interplay between time-varying factors and IC as it unfolds across individual life courses within the broader family life cycle. While filial traditions remain influential, deviations from traditional coresidence patterns suggest changes in intergenerational reciprocity and highlight the growing importance of children’s circumstances on IC.