Helpless Dependents or Active Independents: A Cluster Analysis of Elders in China

• Published in: Social indicators research Vol. 119; no. 3; pp. 1247 - 1263
• Main Authors: Cai, Yi, Yang, Yali, Guo, Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.12.2014; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation to change; Adult children; Age; Age groups; Aged; Aging; Aging (Individuals); Algorithms; Attitudes; Children; China; Cluster analysis; Collectivism; Demography; Dependents; Developing countries; Economic development; Economic reform; Elder care; Elderly; Families & family life; Family Planning; Family Relationship; Family Size; Fertility; Financial management; Happiness; Heterogeneity; Households; Human Geography; Industrialized nations; Intergenerational relationships; LDCs; Life satisfaction; Metropolitan Areas; Microeconomics; Multivariate Analysis; Old age benefits; Old age policy; Older Adults; Older people; Parent Child Relationship; Parents & parenting; Peoples Republic of China; Population; Population aging; Public Health; Quality of life; Quality of Life Research; Research centers; Research facilities; Researchers; Retired persons; Retirement; Retirement Benefits; Retirement income; Retirement planning; Social research; Social Sciences; Sociodemographic Factors; Sociology; Studies; Values; Well Being; Wellbeing; China; Cluster analysis; Retirement management; Old-age support; Chinese seniors; Subject well-being
• DOI: 10.1007/s11205-013-0556-8
• ISSN: 0303-8300

The current study aimed to gain a better understanding of Chinese seniors' demographic information as well as their attitudes toward old-age support as an indicator for their subjective well-being related to their retirement preparation. Particularly, the variation of demographic and attitudinal characteristics within the population was examined. The data was based on a sample of the Chinese senior population, aged 60 and over in 2006 from 20 provinces and metropolitan areas in China. A two-step cluster analysis was used in the current study and the auto-clustering algorithm indicated a two-cluster solution. Both demographic information and attitudinal responses were used for the clusters. The results showed that Chinese seniors' attitudinal and behavioral traits were relevant to the classification with regard to their retirement preparedness. The current study demonstrated that Chinese seniors were a heterogeneous group that could be divided into two basic, distinct segments, namely, helpless dependents and active independents. Each different group of seniors may raise different key issues in meeting their needs for retirement management.