PARENT-CHILD RELATIONS AMONG VERY OLD PARENTS IN WALES AND THE UNITED STATES: A Test of Modernization Theory MERRIL SILVERSTEIN* University of Southern California VANESSA BURHOLT G. CLARE WENGER University of Wales VERN L. BENGTSON University of Southern California ABSTRACT: This study contrasts the structure ofparent-child relationships of older parents living in Wales, U.K. with those of older parents living in the United States. Specifically, we examine whether the principal dimensions of intergenerational soli- darity, and their associations with each other, are invariant across two national cul- tures. Comparable measures are assessed from the responses of older parents participating in three surveys: Bangor Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N=139), USC Longitudinal Study of Generations (N=129), and AARP Study of Intergenerational Linkages (N= 102). Overall, there were fewer dtrerences than expected among the sam- ples. Although proximity and contact with adult children were higher among olderpar- ents in the Wales sample, there were no appreciable differences zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZY in emotional closeness and receipt of help. However, there was a significantly higher correspondence between proximity and emotional closeness among Welsh parents than among both samples of American parents, suggesting that parents in North Wales forge more intimate ties with *Direct all correspondence to: Merril Silverstein, Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191. E-mail: merrils@ rcfIusc.edu zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONM JOURNAL OF AGING STUDIES, Volume 12, Number 4, pages 387-409. Copyright 0 1998 by JAI Press Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved. ISSN: 0890-4065.