Sons daughters and intergenerational social support.

This study examines the effects of the number and gender composition of children on the receipt of social support by older persons [in the United States]. Effects vary with type of support: having daughters is most salient for telephone contact while frequency of visiting is affected by both gender and number of children. Living with children is influenced by the number but not gender of children. Finally the key to receiving help is having at least one daughter but there is no advantage of additional children of either gender....Findings are discussed in relation to models previously applied to support from different types of primary groups. (EXCERPT)