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Functional disability and the role of children in U.S. older adults’ core discussion networks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2021

Markus H. Schafer Open the ORCID record for Markus H. Schafer [Opens in a new window]  and
Laura Upenieks
Markus H. Schafer*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto, Department of Sociology
Laura Upenieks
Affiliation:
Baylor University, Department of Sociology (e-mail: Laura_Upenieks@baylor.edu)
*
*Corresponding author. Email: markus.schafer@utoronto.ca
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Abstract

This study considered the role of adult children in the core networks of U.S. older adults with varying levels of functional health. Taking a multidimensional perspective of the ego network system, we considered (a) presence of child(ren) in the network, (b) contact with children network members, and (c) embeddedness of children within the network. We observed older parents from three waves of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP). The common ‘important matters’ name generator was used to construct egocentric network variables, while self-reported difficulty with activities of daily life was used to measure disablement transitions. Parameters were estimated with Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Though child turnover was common in parents’ core networks, there was no evidence linking disablement transitions to systematic forms of child reshuffling. Children that remained in parents’ networks, however, showed increased contact with parents and with other members of the network when the parent underwent disability progression. Disability onset was not significantly linked to either outcome. There was limited evidence of gender variation in these patterns. Overall, results strengthen the view that children are distinctive members of older adults’ core networks. Further, the role of adult children shifts most noticeably at advanced stages of the disablement process.

Keywords

ego networksnetwork changeparent–child relationshipshealthdisability
Type
Research Article
Information
Network Science , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , June 2021 , pp. 194 - 212
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Action Editor: Stanley Wasserman

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