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Social Support in Older Age: Assessing the Impact of Marital and Parent Status*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Ingrid Arnet Connidis  and
Julie A. McMullin
Ingrid Arnet Connidis
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Julie A. McMullin
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
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Abstract

In this study we examine the impact of parent status and marital status on (1) the foundations of social support networks and (2) who one turns to if help is required with activities of daily living. Data are taken from structured interviews with 678 community-dwelling persons aged 55 and over in London, Canada. This sample overrepresents the childless, single (never married), and divorced, thus ensuring adequate numbers in each category for data analysis. Our findings indicate that marital status is more influential than parent status regarding differences in the foundations of social support. However, for more specific forms of assistance, the divorced and single are more likely than the married, and the childless are more likely than parents to rely on formal support and paid help and less likely to rely on family. As well, for both marital and parent status, there are significant interactions with gender.

Résumé

Dans le cadre de cette étude, nous examinons les répercussions de la situation de parent et de l'état matrimonial sur (1) les fondations des réseaux de soutien sociaux et (2) l'identité des personnes auxquelles on fait appel afin d'obtenir de l'aide pour accomplir ses activités quotidiennes. Les données proviennent d'entrevues structurées menées auprès de 678 personnes de 55 ans et plus vivant à leur domicile à London, en Ontario. Aux fins de l'analyse, cet échantillon compte une surreprésentation des personnes sans enfant, des célibataires (personnes jamais mariées) et des personnes divorcées afin d'assurer un nombre adéquat dans chaque catégorie. Nos résultats ont démontré que l'état matrimonial a une plus grande influence que la situation de parent en ce qui touche les différences dans les fondations du réseau de soutien social. Toutefois, dans le cas des formes d'assistance plus spécialisées, les personnes divorcées et les célibataires sont plus susceptibles que les personnes mariées, et les personnes sans enfant que les parents, de faire appel aux services de soutien formels et aux services d'aide professionnels, et moins portés à se reposer sur la famille. De plus, tant dans le cas de l'état matrimonial que dans la situation de parent, les résultats démontrent une importante interaction entre les sexes.

Keywords

ChildlessSingleDivorcedGenderSocial SupportOlder Age.Sans enfantcélibatairedivorcésexesoutienâge avancé.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 13 , Issue 4 , Winter/hiver 1994 , pp. 510 - 527
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1994

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