Intergenerational Intergenerational solidarity in the eyes of solidarity in the eyes of Czech and Slovak youthCzech and Slovak youth

Jana Levická Jana Levická Zuzana TruhlářováZuzana Truhlářová

Riga, November 2012Riga, November 2012

Structure of the Structure of the presentationpresentation

AimsAims IIntergenerational solidarity ntergenerational solidarity Methodology Methodology

Research questionsResearch questions Sample Sample

Results Results Discussion Discussion

Aims Aims

Find out how the youth is perceiving Find out how the youth is perceiving the intergenerational solidaritythe intergenerational solidarity

Compare the attitudes of Czech and Compare the attitudes of Czech and Slovak youth Slovak youth

Introduction Introduction

Increased interest in the relationship Increased interest in the relationship between different age goups between different age goups

IInterpersonal relationships nterpersonal relationships as as a factor with a strong influence on a factor with a strong influence on the quality of life the quality of life

Intergenerational solidarity Intergenerational solidarity

„„Bonding between individuals of Bonding between individuals of different ages in multigenerational different ages in multigenerational family networks and among different family networks and among different age groups in the community.“ age groups in the community.“ (Bengston, 2012)(Bengston, 2012)

PPerceived to be a basic moral principle erceived to be a basic moral principle and one of the pillars of social policy and one of the pillars of social policy (Botek, 2009, Tomeš, 2010)(Botek, 2009, Tomeš, 2010)

Czech Czech RRepublic epublic and Slovak and Slovak RepublicRepublic

1. Janu1. Januaary 1993 – establishment of Czeh Republic ry 1993 – establishment of Czeh Republic and Slovak and Slovak RRepublic (epublic (as as separete countries)separete countries)

CzechCzech RepublicRepublic – more liberal; – more liberal; SlovakiaSlovakia – more – more traditional – is this present nowadays in young traditional – is this present nowadays in young peoplepeople’s attitudes?’s attitudes?

Methodology Methodology

Research questions:Research questions:

1.1. Are there any Are there any differencies in the differencies in the attitude towards seniorsattitude towards seniors depending ondepending on participant’s participant’s country country of originof origin? ?

2.2. Are there any Are there any differenciesdifferencies in in attitude towards seniorsattitude towards seniors depending on the participantdepending on the participant’s ’s sexsex??

MethodologyMethodology

Qantitavive design Qantitavive design QuestionnaireQuestionnaire SPSS 19 for WindowsSPSS 19 for Windows Mann-Whitney testMann-Whitney test

Sample Sample

730 high school students: 730 high school students: 369 from Slovakia369 from Slovakia 361 from Czech Republic361 from Czech Republic

Age: 15 – 20 years (M = 16,7; SD = Age: 15 – 20 years (M = 16,7; SD = 1,25)1,25)

Sex: 44,5% girls, 55,5% boysSex: 44,5% girls, 55,5% boys

Results - Differences according to COUNTRY Results - Differences according to COUNTRY

OF ORIGINOF ORIGIN:: SLOVAKSLOVAK youth more agree youth more agree

that: that: people should retire as people should retire as

soon as they reach soon as they reach retirement ageretirement age

the government should the government should create jobs for the young create jobs for the young and not employ retirees and not employ retirees

the pensions should be the pensions should be increasedincreased

seniors should help their seniors should help their adult children adult children

adult „children“ have the adult „children“ have the obligation to take care of obligation to take care of their parents their parents

CZECHCZECH youth more agree youth more agree that:that:

the retirement age the retirement age should be extended to should be extended to 70 years of age70 years of age

seniors do not need any seniors do not need any discounts on travelling, discounts on travelling, museum visits, etc.museum visits, etc.

their relationship with their relationship with their grandparents is their grandparents is better than the better than the relationship with their relationship with their own parentsown parents

Results - Differences Results - Differences according to SEX:according to SEX:

BOYSBOYS more agree that: more agree that: it is good when in one household do live it is good when in one household do live

more generationsmore generations retirement should be personretirement should be person’s ’s own own

decision (no age limit)decision (no age limit) the pensions should be increasedthe pensions should be increased the government should create jobs for the the government should create jobs for the

young and not employ retireesyoung and not employ retirees seniors do not need any discounts on seniors do not need any discounts on

travelling, museum visits, etc.travelling, museum visits, etc.

Results - Differences according Results - Differences according to SEX:to SEX:

GIRLSGIRLS more more likely claim that:likely claim that: they like to listen to the life stories of they like to listen to the life stories of

their grandparentstheir grandparents they like to spend their free time they like to spend their free time

with their grandparents with their grandparents

Discussion Discussion

The attitude towards seniors correspondates The attitude towards seniors correspondates with the social climate of with the social climate of respective respective countries, mainly with thecountries, mainly with the perception of perception of familyfamily in society in society

Slovak youth perceive seniors as an obstacle Slovak youth perceive seniors as an obstacle to their self-realization in the labor marketto their self-realization in the labor market

Communications of politicians - the Communications of politicians - the government of Slovakia still emphasizes its government of Slovakia still emphasizes its good deeds towards seniors, but the younger good deeds towards seniors, but the younger generation seems to remaine overlookedgeneration seems to remaine overlooked

Discussion Discussion

Slovak public is convinced that Slovak public is convinced that pensions are very low pensions are very low

Slovak society is more conservative – Slovak society is more conservative – obligation to take care as normative obligation to take care as normative solidarity solidarity

Conclusion Conclusion

IIt is impossible to reduce the attitude of t is impossible to reduce the attitude of young people to seniors to a matter young people to seniors to a matter touching merely different generationstouching merely different generations..

Future research:Future research: identification of factors identification of factors affecting the quality of relationships affecting the quality of relationships between generationsbetween generations to develop to develop strategies leading to strategies leading to

strengthening of strengthening of the the intergenerational intergenerational solidarity of youthsolidarity of youth

This paper has been written under the project ESF - 2.3 Development and maintenance of multidisciplinary scientific and research team for contemporary family studies at the University of Hradec Kralove.