Empty Nest Syndrome No More

Toronto, ON - One of the other facts of life is that sometimes children come back to the nest after leaving, for one reason or another, but Canadians have mixed feelings on this practice. A new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of PostMedia News revealed that while two in ten (21%) Canadians, overall, think it's `perfectly fine for grown adult children to return home', most (71%) think that `grown adult children should only return home if their circumstances absolutely require them to'. Just one in ten (8%) believe that they `don't think grown adult children should return home to live with their parents under any circumstance'.

Men (21%) and women (22%) have very similar attitudes and feeling it's perfectly fine about grown adult children returning home. Middle aged Canadians between 35-54 years of age (24%) were most likely to think it was acceptable for grown children to return home as did 20% of 18-34 year olds and 19% of Canadians 55 and older. Ontarians (26%) were the most likely to be accepting of returning children followed by Saskatchewan and Manitoba (22%), British Columbia (21%), Atlantic Canada (19%), Alberta (18%), and Quebec (15%).

Funnily enough, there were very few differences in the attitudes of grown children returning home for Canadians who have kids and those who don't. Canadians with kids (22%) were only slightly more likely to think that it is acceptable for grown children to return home compared to 20% of those without kids.

Three quarters (74%) of younger Canadians between 18-34 think that grown adult children should only return home if their circumstances require them to, compared to 70% of those 55 and older as well as 68% of those between 35-54. Three quarters (76%) of Albertans agree about returning only if the circumstances require them to followed by Ontario (75%), Atlantic Canada, Saskatchewan and Manitoba (72%), and British Columbia and Ontario tied for last place (67%). There were only slight differences between Canadians who have kids (71%) compared to those who don't have kids (69%).

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted September 17 to 22, 2010, on behalf of Postmedia News. For this survey, a sample of 2,039 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
416.572.4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2009, Ipsos generated global revenues of e943.7 million ($1.33 billion U.S.).

Visit www.ipsos-na.com to learn more about Ipsos offerings and capabilities.

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