UBC studying the effects of living with parents in your 30s

Pros and cons of living with mom and dad The high cost of living and housing is a big reason why the number of young adults living with their parents is climbing.

The University of British Columbia is seeking 50 adult volunteers, who still live with their parents, to help study the effects of living at home.

The hardships of finding affordable housing, and being able to pay the bills are well documented. But this new research hopes to uncover what living with parents actually resembles.

“I want to know what it’s like for people to live together with their parents, as adults,” said UBC PhD candidate in Sociology, Umay Kader.

She hopes to uncover what happens when conflicts arise, and whether there are ground rules. Who does the chores? Who does the cooking? Those are just some of the basic questions she seeks to answer. She's also hoping to shed some light on how families handle more delicate matters.

“What happens when they want to invite their friends or sexual romantic partners over?” Kader wondered. “Do you let them know in advance? Or are they OK with it?”

She also plans to study the impact on parents, and whether it’s mutually beneficial having an adult child at home.

Research candidates must be 25 to 34 years old, and live with their parents in Metro Vancouver.

Kader hopes her findings will help policy makers understand “the challenges and opportunities people in this age range have when they live with their parents.”

More information, including how interested, eligible candidates can sign up, is available online.