# Filial Care in Transition: Linguistic and Emotional Patterns in Online Discourse Among Emerging Adults in Taiwan

## TL;DR

This study explores how young adults in Taiwan discuss filial care online, showing how they balance traditional values with modern life and economic pressures.

## Contribution

The study introduces a computational analysis of how emerging adults in Taiwan reinterpret filial piety in digital discourse.

## Key findings

- Posts showed higher levels of anger and sadness compared to general Chinese online norms.
- Economic concerns were central themes in discussions about filial care.
- Filial piety was conceptualized as conditional and reciprocal rather than absolute duty.

## Abstract

As Taiwan’s population ages, traditional filial piety expectations face modernization challenges, yet few studies examine how emergent adults linguistically negotiate these cultural tensions digitally. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how emerging adults in Taiwan express and reinterpret filial obligations toward aging parents through online discourse. Emerging adults represent a particularly meaningful demographic because they straddle traditional filial norms and modern independence, making their language use a valuable indicator of cultural transition. We analyzed 1976 Dcard posts from 30 discussion threads (2017–2023) using computational linguistics. LIWC-22 assessed emotional expression patterns, while Sketch Engine conducted keyness analysis and collocation mapping around filial care keywords. Posts were compared against Chinese web corpus norms. Quantitative emotion analysis revealed dominant positive emotions (M = 3.93) alongside significant negative emotions (M = 3.30), with anger and sadness exceeding broader Chinese online communication norms. Keyness analysis identified economic concerns as central themes. Collocation analysis around “filial piety” showed associations with “limits”, “willingness”, and “define”, indicating conditional rather than absolute conceptualization. Findings indicate that emerging adults in Taiwan reinterpret filial piety through reciprocal emotional bonds rather than strict hierarchical duty, negotiating traditional expectations with contemporary economic realities and personal autonomy. The implications of these findings highlight how cultural values adapt in response to modernization and digital communication, offering insight into evolving intergenerational relationships and informing future cross-cultural aging and caregiving research.