Objective: This study examines the resource dilution hypothesis during the transition to adulthood, when parental support is both more optional and more contested, and when children may not only receive but also provide support to their families.
Background: Prior sociological literature on the investment of family resources and the role of siblings has typically focused on younger children in compulsory schooling. It is not clear whether the patterns observed among young children hold across other stages of the life course.
Method: The study is based on a sample of 740 low‐income students attending seven public 4‐year institutions in Wisconsin. Regression analyses examine the extent to which students receive financial, emotional, and in‐kind support from their families as well as the extent to which they provide those types of supports to their families.
Results: The results indicate that siblings dilute financial support low‐income students receive from their families, but not emotional or in‐kind support. Notably, siblings do not only dilute financial resources; they also invite increased contributions. Low‐income young adults receive less financial support and provide more financial and in‐kind support in larger families.
Conclusion: The findings imply the importance of revising the resource dilution hypothesis to reflect variation across different stages of the life course and to account for the bidirectional exchange of support.