A great deal of research shows that affluence can pull people away from their families in a variety of ways. A lack of financial security or the presence of greater financial instability can cause stress in a family and lead to decreased communication and closeness between family members. Additionally, when individuals have greater financial resources, they may be more inclined to pursue activities outside of the family and therefore become less available to their family members.
The ability to access resources not readily available to other family members, or to take advantage of new opportunities, can lead to a feeling of separateness or superiority that can make it more difficult to relate to family members. If a family member has access to more resources, this can create an environment in which feelings of power dynamics, envy, and competition come into play, making it more difficult to foster meaningful relationships with family members.
Research has also found that affluence can contribute to a fragmentation of family members’ schedules, with more affluent family members having to spend more time on extracurricular activities, such as schooling, jobs, and other endeavors. This can leave the other members of the family with less time spent together and cause a rift between family members due to their different schedules and lifestyles.
Overall, affluence can have troubling implications for family relationships and closeness and is a factor that should be taken into consideration when making decisions that affect the family and its members.
