Filial Piety and the Development of Independence and Interdependence During Emerging Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study of Taiwanese Adolescents

While filial piety has been widely studied in Confucian-influenced societies, little is known about how it may influence the development of emerging adults’ independence and interdependence. Using a population-based longitudinal study in Taiwan (N = 3,149; 49.5% females), this study examined the association between filial piety in adolescence (aged 13–15) and independence and interdependence in emerging adulthood (aged 22). Results show that greater adherence to filial piety in adolescence predicts higher independence in emerging adulthood. Additionally, greater adherence to filial piety predicts higher interdependence for females, but not males, when parents hold traditional gender-role attitudes. This study underscores the significance of cultural norms and parental gender-role attitudes in shaping individuals’ development during emerging adulthood.