Dykstra, P.A.

Theories and their empirical support in the study of intergenerational family relationships in adulthood. (In Book)

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

Generational interdependencies in families: The MULTILINKS research programme (Article)

2012-12-06T00:00:00Z

Background: We identify four research themes where MULTILINKS, a programme of research on intergenerational family ties funded through the Seventh Framework of the European Commission, has brought new and unique insights. Key premises of the MULTILINKS approach involved an emphasis on (1) both young and old in families, (2) the ways in which social policies structure interdependencies in families, and (3) the influence of historical, economic and cultural contexts. Methods: Our overview includes research done in the context of the MULTILINKS programme at large as well as the papers in this special collection. Results: Firstly, by combining macro and micro perspectives on intergenerational family constellations across Europe it has been possible to provide a more nuanced view than is common in conventional portrayals of family change. Secondly, by extending research to Eastern European countries, the programme has not only identified crucial regional differences in co-residential arrangements and intergenerational exchanges in families, but also shown that explanations of well-being differentials are similar in Eastern and Western Europe. Thirdly, by focusing on legal and policy frameworks regarding the division of care and financial responsibilities for the young and old between the family and the state, it has been possible to distinguish patterns in the degree to which national policies strengthen or weaken generational interdependencies in families. Fourthly, research conducted in the context of the MULTILINKS programme has demonstrated the usefulness of paying attention to preferences about family members' responsibilities for each other. Conclusion: Recognition of the key premises of MULTILINKS has led to challenging, critical insights on intergenerational family ties.

Living arrangements, intergenerational support types and older adult loneliness in Eastern and Western Europe (Article)

2012-09-17T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that living arrangements (independent households of those living alone or as a couple, versus coresident households encompassing adult children) are important determinants of older adults' loneliness. However, little is known about intergenerational support exchanges in these living arrangements and their associations with loneliness. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to contribute to the knowledge on associations between living arrangements and loneliness, by taking into account and differentiating intergenerational support types. METHODS: Using data from the Generations and Gender Surveys of three countries in Eastern Europe and two countries in Western Europe, Latent Class Analyses was applied to develop intergenerational support types for (a) co-residing respondents in Eastern Europe, (b) respondents in independent households in Eastern Europe, and (c) respondents in independent households in Western Europe, respectively. Six types resulted, distinguishing patterns of upward support, downward support and get-togethers. Subsequently, we used linear regression analyses to examine differences in loneliness by region, living arrangements and intergenerational support type. RESULTS: Findings show higher levels of loneliness in Eastern than in Western Europe. Older adults living alone are most lonely, older adults living with a partner are least lonely. Coresidence provides protection, but not to the same degree as a partner. In both co-resident and independent households there is a greater likelihood of being involved in support given to adult children than in support received from adult children. In both East and West European countries, older adults who are primarily on the receiving side are most lonely. CONCLUSIONS: A better explanation of older adult loneliness is obtained if the direction of supportive exchanges with adult children is considered than if only living arrangements are considered.

Continuity and change in intergenerational family relationships: An examination of shifts in relationship type over a three-year period (Article)

2012-09-01T00:00:00Z

This paper focuses on shifts in adult child-parent relationship type using the first two waves of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (NKPS). The analyses are informed by both a life transitions perspective, and a reduction of ambivalence perspective. The intergenerational relationships typology represents different combinations of solidaristic acts and conflict. We employed Latent Transition Analysis to determine the prevalence and predictors of shifts. Less than 5% of the dyads shifted to a different type. Insofar shifts took place, they were most likely from the ambivalent type, and particularly so for relationships with mothers and daughters. Offspring (re)partnering, offspring divorce, parental widowhood, parental health decline, offspring unemployment, birth of a grandchild, and moving nearer, did not predict typology shifts, whereas the number of parental divorces was too small for analyses of change. Parental repartnering prompted a shift toward the discordant type with its low probabilities of contact and support exchange, and the relatively high likelihood of conflict over personal issues. Moving away prompted a shift from the ambivalent type with its high probabilities of supportive exchanges and conflict over material and personal issues. Over a period of 3 years, there is considerably more continuity in adult child-parent relationships than change.

Families: in alle staten? (Article)

2012-01-27T00:00:00Z

Inleidend: ... Families staan nu volop in de wetenschappelijke belangstelling. Dat is niet altijd zo geweest (De Hoog, 2003). Weliswaar zijn in de jaren vijftig en zestig van de vorige eeuw verschillende hoogleraren gezinssociologie in Nederland benoemd, maar hun leerstoelgroepen zijn enkele decennia daarna ter ziele gegaan. Universitaire bezuinigingen, maar ook verminderde belangstelling onder onderzoekers zijn daaraan debet geweest. In 1996 constateerde de Sociaal-Wetenschappelijke Raad dat de wetenschappelijke kennis over gezinnen en families was achtergebleven bij demografische en maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen. Hun rapport Nieuwe perspectieven voor de gezinssociologie (Sociaal-Wetenschappelijke Raad, 1996) is een effectieve katalysator geweest: investeringen in dataverzamelingen zijn gedaan, nieuwe hoogleraren zijn aangesteld en het programma ‘De bindende kracht van familierelaties’ van de Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek is succesvol uitgevoerd. ...

Cross-national differences in older adult loneliness (Article)

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

Loneliness concerns the subjective evaluation that the number of relationships is smaller than the individual considers desirable or that the intimacy that the individual wishes for has not been realized. The aim of this study was to assess variations in levels of late-life loneliness and its determinants across Europe. Data came from the SHARE surveys, Wave 2 (Börsch-Supan et al., 2008), encompassing adults aged 50 years and over in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland (N = 12,248). Loneliness was measured by a single item derived from the CES-D (depression) scale. Using logistic models, the present authors tested several types of explanations for country differences: differences in demographic characteristics, wealth and health, and social networks. Older adults in the southern and central European countries were generally lonelier than their peers in the northern and western European countries. In the southern and central European countries, loneliness was largely attributable to not being married, economic deprivation, and poor health. Frequent contacts with parents and adult children, social participation, and providing support to family members were important in preventing and alleviating loneliness in almost all countries. To combat loneliness among older adults, the findings suggest both (a) generic approaches aimed at improving social embeddedness and (b) country-tailored approaches aimed at improving health and wealth.

Afscheid (Article)

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

Intro: Na twintig jaar met heel veel plezier lid te zijn geweest van de redactie van Mens & Maatschappij neem ik afscheid. In 1992 begon ik als redactiesecretaris – een functie die op dat moment meer werk ging behelzen omdat de toenmalige uitgever Bohn Stafleu van Loghum (BSvL) had besloten om op ondersteuning te bezuinigen. Voorwaarde om toe te treden tot de redactie van Mens & Maatschappij was dat ik het lidmaatschap van Gezin: Tijdschrift voor Primaire Leefvormen opgaf. Ik had het er graag voor over. Na het onverwachte overlijden van Jan Karel Gevers in 1998 kreeg ik het penningmeesterschap erbij. Clara Mulder nam in 1999 het redactiesecretariaat over. In 2001 werd ik voorzitter toen Jaap Dronkers vertrok naar de European University Institute in Florence. ...

Norms of filial obligation in the Netherlands (Article)

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

In this article we examine to what extent norms of filial obligation in the Netherlands are shaped by group value patterns, family constellation, possibilities for helping others, and actual experiences of support exchange. The data are drawn from the first wave of the combined main and migrant sample of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study, the Dutch participant in the Generations and Gender Programme. The Dutch appear reluctant to prescribe how other people should behave towards their ageing parents. Value patterns are the strongest determinants of filial norms, with migrants, the low-educated, and persons with religious beliefs espousing strong filial norms. Contrary to what traditional gender roles would suggest, women less strongly endorse norms of filial obligation than men, and contrary to the notion that divorce weakens family ties, divorcees and children of divorce do not exhibit less commitment to filial norms. Altruistic tendencies are evident in the weaker filial norms among the older age groups, and among those with non co-resident children. Finally, the results show a high level of consonance between actual support exchanges and filial norms.

Les normes des obligations filiales aux Pays-Bas (Article)

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

Cet article analyse dans quelle mesure les normes et obligations filiales sont déterminées aux Pays-Bas par le système de valeurs du groupe, la configuration familiale, la capacité à venir en aide aux autres, et les expériences vécues en matière d'entraide. Les données proviennent de la première vague de la Netherlands Kinship Panel Study, contribution néerlandaise au Generations and Gender Programme, et portent sur l'échantillon qui combine population générale et population immigrée. Les Hollandais se montrent réticents à l'idée de dicter aux autres la manière de se comporter envers les parents âgés. Le système de valeurs est le déterminant majeur des normes filiales pour les immigrés, les personnes peu instruites et les croyants. Contrairement à ce que pourrait suggérer la répartition traditionnelle des rôles entre les sexes, l'adhésion aux principes du devoir filial est moins forte pour les femmes que les hommes. Quant aux divorcés et enfants de divorcés, ils ne semblent pas moins attachés que les autres à leurs obligations filiales. Des tendances altruistes se manifestent dans le fait que les normes sont moins rigoureuses parmi les groupes les plus âgés de la population et les personnes sans enfant cohabitant. L'étude met enfin en évidence une forte concordance entre les normes filiales et les comportements réels d'entraide.

The men behind economically successful women: A focus on Dutch dual-earner couples (Article)

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract Using data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study, this paper compares the partners of economically successful women with those of women who have fared less well on the labor market. Economic success is measured as belonging to the top ten percent income bracket of the female sample. First, socioeconomic and cultural homogamy/asymmetry are investigated. With respect to education, homogamy is the dominant pattern. Income asymmetry, where husbands contribute most to the household income, characterizes the majority of couples, particularly in the older age groups. Gender asymmetry in cultural resources is predominant, with women having more modern gender role attitudes than men. Second, hypotheses derived from social capital theory and companionate theory are tested to examine how socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of male partners are related to women’s economic success. Economically successful women tend to have high-income men, suggesting an accumulation of favorable resources. A larger share of the male partner in carrying out household tasks is positively related to a woman’s success. Men’s supportive behavior rather than their attitudes contribute to their wives’ economic success.

Families: in alle staten? (Inaugural Lecture)

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

Parity and men’s mortality risks (Article)

2011-03-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract Background: Most studies on associations between parity and mortality focus on women, and find a negative correlation or U-shaped pattern. If and why having children is associated with mortality among men is less clear. Our objective was to improve understanding of the association between men’s parity and mortality, and to investigate mechanisms potentially underlying this association. Methods: Analysis of baseline data (1991) from a prospective cohort study (the GLOBE study) with almost 17 year mortality follow-up among 4.965 men, aged 45 and over. Cox proportional hazard hierarchical regression models were used to link parity to mortality and to explore the role of SEP, health behaviors, and partner status. Results: Fathers of 2 or 3 children (HR 0.85; 95 % CI 0.74-0.99) and especially fathers of 4 or more children (HR 0.81; 95 % CI 0.69-0.95) had lower mortality risks compared to childless men. However, this association attenuated to non-significance after adding SEP, health behaviors, and partner status to the model. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that childless men have higher mortality risks in comparison to men who have fathered two or more children.

Family Obligations and Support Behaviour: a United States – Netherlands comparison (Article)

2011-02-09T00:00:00Z

ABSTRACT This study draws on national survey data from the United States (US) and the Netherlands to compare family obligations and support behaviour for middle-generation adults who have a living aged parent and adult child. Consistent with a familialism by default hypothesis based on welfare state differences, the US sample espouses stronger family obligations than the Dutch sample. Yet, the Dutch respondents are more likely to engage in family support behaviours with both the younger and older generations, contrary to a family-steps-in hypothesis. The connection between family obligations and support behaviour is also tested, revealing a stronger association in the US sample, consistent with a family steps in hypothesis, but only in regard to relations with ageing parents. We conclude that Dutch respondents are more likely to act on their individual preferences whereas American respondents are more influenced by general norms of obligation towards family members. The findings are discussed in terms of social policy differences between the two countries, and in light of results from comparative European studies of intergenerational relations.

Personal relationships in late life: An introduction to the special issue (Article)

2011-02-01T00:00:00Z

Introduction: Improvements in living standards have brought unprecedented increases in longevity (Vaupel, 2010). In industrialized societies, most people can expect to celebrate their 80th birthday and many live beyond that. Moreover, epidemiological studies consistently show that personal relationships are among the best predictors of a long life. Large, controlled, prospective studies show that personal relationships reduce mortality independently of potentially confounding factors such as socioeconomic status, healthrisk behaviors, use of health services, and personality (Berkman, Glass, Brissette, & Seeman, 2000; Uchino, 2004). Despite their importance, research on late-life personal ties lags behind scholarship on early and middle adulthood. For example, of the 135 articles published during 2007, 2008, and 2009 in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (disregarding the special issues), only one article had an older-adult sample. Eighty percent of the articles’ samples included people under the age of 60, 13% had samples which included the 60-plus group, and for 7% of the articles, age was either unknown or irrelevant (e.g., a unit of analysis other than the individual). Although personal relationship researchers have largely neglected late-life issues, ageing scholars have not placed older adults’ social worlds at center stage either. Health issues dominate the study of late-life quality (Walker & Mollenkopf, 2007). Concerns about the costs of an ageing population and how older adults can maintain selfreliance have clear policy relevance. Elusive issues such as older adults’ social embeddedness have received little attention. Clearly, the decision to devote a special issue of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships to personal relationships and older adults is a timely one.

Personal relationships in late life: An introduction to the special issue (Article)

2011-02-01T00:00:00Z

Family Obligations and Support Behaviour: a United States – Netherlands comparison (Article)

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Parity and men’s mortality risks (Article)

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Background: Most studies on associations between parity and mortality focus on women, and find a negative correlation or U-shaped pattern. If and why having children is associated with mortality among men is less clear. Our objective was to improve understanding of the association between men's parity and mortality, and to investigate mechanisms potentially underlying this association. Methods: Analysis of baseline data (1991) from a prospective cohort study (the GLOBE study) with almost 17 years mortality follow-up among 4965 men, aged 45 years. Cox proportional hazard hierarchical regression models were used to link parity to mortality and to explore the role of socio-economic position (SEP), health behaviours and partner status. Results: Fathers of two or three children [hazard rate ratio (HR) 0.85; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.74--0.99] and especially fathers of four or more children (HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.69--0.95) had lower mortality risks compared with childless men. However, this association attenuated to non-significance after adding SEP, health behaviours and partner status to the model. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that childless men have higher mortality risks in comparison with men who have fathered two or more children.

Parity and men’s mortality risks (Article)

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Intergenerational Family Relationships In Ageing Societies (Research Report)

2010-12-01T00:00:00Z

Preface In the region of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), population ageing is the dominant demographic trend of this century. Simultaneously, other pertinent demographic developments such as declining fertility, increasing age at family formation, and changing family patterns also challenge many areas of public policy. The policy responses have to include reconciliation of work and family life and measures to facilitate flexibility in life-course transitions among education, work and retirement. Equally important is to promot intergenerational solidarity and collaboration, and ensure gender equality in family, community and society at large. In the UNECE Regional Implementation Strategy for the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002) and in the León Ministerial Declaration “A Society for All Ages: Challenges and Opportunities” (2007), UNECE member States have committed themselves to respond to challenges and opportunities of their ageing societies. In 2008, UNECE established the Working Group on Ageing – an intergovernmental body with the mandate to coordinate and streamline implementation of major international policy documents on ageing. In order to provide knowledge base for population policy measures, the UNECE initiated in 2000 and continue to coordinate the Generations and Gender Programme (GGP). GGP has two main pillars: the first pillar is the system of national Generations and Gender Surveys (GGS), and the second pillar is the contextual database that provides information on macrolevel factors influencing demographic trends. GGP also serves as an important source of data in various programme elements of the Working Group on Ageing. One of the many international research initiatives based on GGP data is the Multilinks project led by the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute. Multilinks is specifically designed to support sound policymaking through new insights into how changing social contexts are affecting social integration and intergenerational solidarity in different European countries. Relying on the conceptual framework of that project, and based on the examples of policies and programmes from UNECE countries, the Working Group on Ageing held an in-depth discussion on intergenerational relationships at its second meeting in 2009. This report is derived from this in-depth discussion. It also summarises the most relevant research findings in the area of intergenerational family relationships. UNECE is grateful to the author and UNECE member States for contributing to this report. UNECE also wishes to acknowledge the financial support from the European Commission, which was essential for establishing and functioning the Multilinks research project. It is expected that this report will be of interest to a broad audience concerned with matters of intergenerational relationships, and will increase awareness about the need for policy measures for promoting greater solidarity among family members of all ages.

The role of European welfare states in intergenerational money transfers: A micro-level perspective (Article)

2010-11-01T00:00:00Z

This article uses a comprehensive theoretical framework to explain why parents send money to particular children, and examines whether intergenerational solidarity is shaped by spending on various welfare domains or provisions as a percentage of gross domestic product. The theoretical model at the level of parents and children distinguishes parental resources and children's needs as the factors most likely to influence intergenerational money transfers. Differences in state spending on various welfare domains are then used to hypothesise in which countries children with specific needs are most likely to receive a transfer. For parents we hypothesise in which countries parents with specific available resources are most likely to send a transfer. We use data from the first wave of the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to analyse the influence of welfare-state provisions on the likelihood of intergenerational transfers in ten European countries. The results indicate that, in line with our expectations, the likelihood of a transfer being made is the outcome of an intricate resolution of the resources (ability) of the parents and the needs of a child. Rather large differences between countries in money transfers were found. The results suggest that, at least with reference to cross-generational money transfers, no consistent differences by welfare state regime were found.

Autonomy in an ascribed relationship: the case of adult children and elderly parents (Article)

2010-10-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract Demographic and cultural changes have given rise to the question of whether adult children will continue to provide support to their elderly parents. In a qualitative study among selected respondents from a large representative sample, we investigated the motivations of adult children to provide support to their elderly parents. Five major themes emerged: Individual choice, obligation, reciprocity, quality of the relationship and genetic relatedness. Respondents rejected general norms of filial obligations, were reluctant to impose behavioral rules on others, but nevertheless expressed strong personal obligations to care. Individualization is often equated with withdrawing from providing care. Our findings suggest otherwise. Filial obligations tend to be strong, but personalized. Social prescriptions have given way to personal motives to provide care.

The absence of conflict between paid-work hours and the provision of instrumental support to elderly parents among middle-aged women and men (Article)

2010-08-01T00:00:00Z

ABSTRACTThis study assesses the relationship between the number of work hours and the provision of instrumental support to parents among 779 middle-aged women and men in dual-worker couples in The Netherlands. Using data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study collected during 2002-04, we estimate a simultaneous two-stage probit least-squares model, which takes into account that the competing time and financial demands of a person's engagement in paid work and parental support are endogenous. We explicitly control for the effects of partners' earnings, housework and parent-support contributions, and of co-resident children's time demands and help with domestic tasks. Contrary to expectations, the results do not reveal a conflict between paid work and giving support to parents. Several possible explanations are discussed. The results emphasise the importance of the household context, in that the work hours of both women and men depend on other household members' activities and finances, as does men's provision of parent-support. The striking lack of relationships between women's provision of parental support and any individual and contextual characteristic demonstrates the persistence of gendered roles in family members giving support.

The transition to parenthood and well-being: The impact of partner status and work hour transitions (Article)

2010-08-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract Using data from the first two waves of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study for 338 women and 262 men, we examine the consequences of making the transition to parenthood for life satisfaction, loneliness, positive affect, negative affect, and partnership satisfaction. We extend previous work by taking transitions in partner status and work hours into account. Results show a moderate impact of becoming a parent on well-being. In so far as effects of making the transition to parenthood emerge, they are attributable to changes in partner status and work hours. First, the decrease in negative affect upon making the transition to motherhood is attributable to the group of women who increase their working hours. Second, the detrimental impact of making the transition to motherhood on partnership satisfaction is attributable to the group of new mothers who quit their job. Third, the detrimental impact of making the transition to fatherhood on loneliness is attributable to the group of new fathers who become married. There is one exception to this pattern of partner status and work hours as mechanisms for changes in well-being. Men who become fathers remain less satisfied with their partnership, even when transitions in partner status and work hours have been taken into account. In the discussion-section, we consider the possible underestimation of negative effects because of the focus on the continuously partnered. We also reflect on our results in the light of the high incidence of part-time work in the Netherlands and Dutch policies aimed at supporting new parents.

The transition to parenthood and well-being: The impact of partner status and work hour transitions (Article)

2010-08-01T00:00:00Z

The absence of conflict between paid-work hours and the provision of instrumental support to elderly parents among middle-aged women and men (Article)

2010-08-01T00:00:00Z

This study assesses the relationship between the number of work hours and the provision of instrumental support to parents among 779 middle-aged women and men in dual-worker couples in The Netherlands. Using data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study collected during 2002-04, we estimate a simultaneous two-stage probit least-squares model, which takes into account that the competing time and financial demands of a person's engagement in paid work and parental support are endogenous. We explicitly control for the effects of partners' earnings, housework and parent-support contributions, and of co-resident children's time demands and help with domestic tasks. Contrary to expectations, the results do not reveal a conflict between paid work and giving support to parents. Several possible explanations are discussed. The results emphasise the importance of the household context, in that the work hours of both women and men depend on other household members' activities and finances, as does men's provision of parent-support. The striking lack of relationships between women's provision of parental support and any individual and contextual characteristic demonstrates the persistence of gendered roles in family members giving support. Copyright

Relationships between parents and their adult children: a West European typology of late-life families (Article)

2010-07-01T00:00:00Z

Following Reher’s (1998) seminal paper on family ties in western Europe, the perspective that family solidarity patterns are divided between an individualistic north and a famialistic south has dominated the literature. We challenge this view and address the variability in intergenerational family solidarity within and across countries. Using multiple dimensions of intergenerational solidarity drawn from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we develop a typology of late-life families which is robust across northern, central and southern regions. The four types are: (a) descending familialism: living nearby, frequent contact, endorsement of family obligation norms, and primarily help in kind from parents to children, (b) ascending familialism: living nearby, frequent contact, endorsement of family obligation norms, and primarily help in kind from children to parents, (c) supportive-at-distance: not living nearby, frequent contact, refutation of family obligation norms, and primarily financial transfers from parents to adult children, (d) autonomous: not living nearby, little contact, refutation of family obligation norms, and few support exchanges. The four types are common in each European country, though the distributions differ. The findings suggest that scholars should abandon the idea that a particular country can be characterised by a single dominant type of late-life family. Socio-demographic differentials in family type follow predictable patterns, underscoring the validity of the developed typology.

Verwantschap, huwelijk en gezin (In Book)

2010-02-09T00:00:00Z

Life Outcomes of Childless Men and Fathers (Article)

2010-02-01T00:00:00Z

Using data from the first wave of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (NKPS) for 1,451 men aged 40–59 we examine the impact of permanent childlessness. We extend on previous work by focusing on partnership history as a possible explanation for differences between childless men and fathers. Our results show that the impact of childlessness is weaker than we had expected. Many initial differences between childless men and fathers are attributable to differences in their partnership history. Nevertheless, childless men differ from resident fathers regarding their community involvement, their level of income and their satisfaction with life. Childless men differ from non-resident fathers with respect to their income and work hours. Theoretical and societal implications of our findings are discussed.

Autonomy in an ascribed relationship: the case of adult children and elderly parents (Article)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

The role of European welfare states in intergenerational money transfers: a micro-level perspective (In Proceedings)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

ABSTRACT This article uses a comprehensive theoretical framework to explain why parents send money to particular children, and examines whether intergenerational solidarity is shaped by spending on various welfare domains or provisions as a percentage of gross domestic product. The theoretical model at the level of parents and children distinguishes parental resources and children’s needs as the most likely factors influencing intergenerational money transfers. Differences in spending on various welfare domains is then used to hypothesize in which countries children with specific needs should be most likely to receive a transfer. For parents we hypothesize in which countries parents with specific resources available should be most likely to send a transfer. We use data from the first wave of the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to analyse the influence of welfare-state provisions on the likelihood of intergenerational transfers in ten European countries. The results indicate that, in line with our expectations, the likelihood of a transfer being made is the outcome of an intricate resolution of resources (ability) of the parents and the needs of a child. Rather large differences between countries in money transfers are found. Our results suggest however that insofar as previous work using distinct welfare state typologies considers money transfers, such a clear distinction between typologies is not justified.

Het is tijd voor een quotum (Article)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

In Nederland blijft het percentage vrouwen aan de top bedroevend laag. Intentieverklaringen, handvesten, mentorprojecten, codes, taskforces, ambassadeursnetwerken en allerlei bewustwordingstrajecten hebben daar geen substantiële of duurzame verandering in gebracht. ...

Mantelzorgende mannen: Een kwestie van moeten, kunnen of willen (Article)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Samenvatting Het eenzijdige beeld dat mannen alleen mantelzorg verlenen aan hun ouders als ze “moeten”, wordt in ons onderzoek naar de intensieve hulp van zoons bij praktische en huishoudelijke taken niet bevestigd. We zien dus niet dat zoons pas gaan zorgen als ze geen broers, zussen en/of een partner hebben die de taak op zich zouden kunnen nemen. De gedachte dat mannen zorgen als ze dat “kunnen”, namelijk als ze geen conflicterende verplichtingen hebben, wordt evenmin bevestigd. Zo is de kans om mantelzorg te verlenen even groot onder mannen met een baan als onder mannen zonder een baan. Wel zien we dat geografische nabijheid de kans op zorg verlenen verhoogt. Mannen verlenen zorg als ze dat “willen”, dat wil zeggen, als ze daartoe gemotiveerd zijn, bijvoorbeeld omdat ze van opvatting zijn dat volwassen kinderen hun hulpbehoevende ouderen horen bij te staan. Andere motiverende factoren zijn het voorbeeld van een werkende moeder tijdens de jeugd en een kwalitatief goede relatie met de ouder. Financiële prikkels blijken de kans op zorgverlening niet te verhogen. Het subjectieve welbevinden van zorgende zoons is iets lager dan dat van niet-zorgende zoons als zorg wordt verleend aan vaders, maar niet als zorg wordt verleend aan moeders. De data zijn afkomstig van de Netherlands Kinship Panel Study.

Fourth Multilinks Policy Brief: New insights on kin availability, using the Generations & Gender Surveys. (Research Report)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

n this policy brief we illustrate the advantages of the GGS by focusing on diversity in partnerships, childlessness among women and men, and the generational structure of kin networks. The analyses reported here are from seven countries for which harmonized wave 1 data (~2004) were available: Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, and Russia.

Third Multilinks Policy Brief: Testing how welfare state arrangements might shape intergenerational family solidarity (Research Report)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

De mannen achter succesvolle vrouwen: Kanjers of maatjes? (Article)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Summary
The men behind successful women: ‘Big shots’ or ‘sharing companions’?
Using data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study, this paper compares the partners of successful women with those of women who have fared less well on the labor market. Success is measured as belonging to the top ten percent income bracket of the female sample. The male breadwinner model where husbands contribute most to the household income characterizes the majority of couples, particularly in the older age groups. Successful women tend to have ‘sharing companions’ who make less money than they do rather than ‘big shots’ who have high incomes. Whether their partners espouse gender egalitarian attitudes makes no differences for women’s success. Rather, having a partner who performs a fair share of domestic tasks relates to women’s socio-economic achievement. Mothers with resident children are more successful when their partners have short work weeks, but the success of childless women and empty nest mothers shows no association with their partners’ work hours. With women’s increasing socio-economic independence, partner relations will likely become premised on different logics compared with the past. For economically autonomous women, men’s disposition towards companionship will be an important consideration, whereas men faced with economically autonomous women will be required to substantively contribute to domestic work.

De mannen achter succesvolle vrouwen: Kanjers of maatjes? (Article)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Summary Using data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study, this paper compares the partners of successful women with those of women who have fared less well on the labor market. Success is measured as belonging to the top ten percent income bracket of the female sample. The male breadwinner model where husbands contribute most to the household income characterizes the majority of couples, particularly in the older age groups. Successful women tend to have „sharing companions‟ who make less money than they do rather than „big shots‟ who have high incomes. Whether their partners espouse gender egalitarian attitudes makes no differences for women‟s success. Rather, having a partner who performs a fair share of domestic tasks relates to women‟s socio-economic achievement. Mothers with resident children are more successful when their partners have short work weeks, but the success of childless women and empty nest mothers shows no association with their partners‟ work hours. With women‟s increasing socio-economic independence, partner relations will likely become premised on different logics compared with the past. For economically autonomous women, men‟s disposition towards companionship will be an important consideration, whereas men faced with economically autonomous women will be required to substantively contribute to domestic work.

Relationships between parents and their adult children: a West European typology of late-life families (Article)

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Contact between grandchildren and their grandparents in early adulthood (Article)

2009-12-01T00:00:00Z

Using cross-sectional data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (N = 1,231), this study examines the relationship between grandchildren and their grandparents across early adulthood. Age is used as a proxy for change during the grandchild’s life course and the influence of major life course characteristics is examined. Results indicate that the majority of young adult grandchildren have contact with their grandparents, but the average frequency is low. Age differences in contact frequency suggest a decline in grandparent—grandchild contact across early adulthood. Multilevel analyses show that grandchildren’s employment status, partner, and parenthood status do not affect contact frequency with grandparents. Rather, the results point at the importance of the parental home for facilitating grandparent—grandchild contact as age-related differences are accounted for by whether grandchildren left the parental home. Furthermore, most of the variance in grandparent—grandchild contact is attributable to differences between family of the mother’s and family of the father’s side.

The wellbeing of childless men and fathers in mid-life (Article)

2009-11-01T00:00:00Z

Using data from the first wave of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study conducted in 2002–03, this paper examines the economic, psychological and social wellbeing among 1,467 men aged 40–59 years with different parenthood histories and circumstances: the childless, fathers who live with their children, non-co-resident fathers, and ‘empty-nest fathers ’. The gerontological interest is whether there are variations in wellbeing by parenting, and whether they persist in old age. The results showed that fathers have higher incomes than childless men, regardless of their partner history. As regards psychological wellbeing, men’s partner history counts, not their parenthood status. Being single contributes to low levels of psychological wellbeing. The findings provide evidence of the socially integrating effects of parenthood and for men’s ‘good-provider ’ role. Childless men and nonco- resident fathers report poorer quality family relationships. In addition, childless men were least likely to report helping others in the community. Overall, more support is found for the notion that fatherhood is a transforming event than that the wellbeing benefits derive from fathering activities. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for inequalities in wellbeing and informal support among the male members of the cohort born during 1943–63 when they reach old age.

Where is the exit? Intergenerational ambivalence and relationship quality in high contact ties (Article)

2009-08-01T00:00:00Z

We challenge the common idea that solidarity has positive, whereas conflict has negative implications, by investigating intergenerational ambivalence – defined as the co-occurrence of solidarity and conflict – and relationship quality. We use representative data on non-coresident adult children and parents with high levels of contact (weekly or more; N=2,694 dyads). Results show that over half of high contact parent–child ties can be characterized as ambivalent and of high-quality. The likelihood of negative instead of positive ambivalent ties is greater if adult children have few exit options because they are socially isolated or have a small number of siblings. Ties between fathers and sons, and those between caring daughters and aging parents also have a high probability of belonging to the negative ambivalent type.

Older adult loneliness: myths and realities (Article)

2009-04-08T00:00:00Z

The focus in this paper is on the social domain of quality of life, and more particularly loneliness. The empirical literature on older adult loneliness is reviewed, thereby challenging three often-held assumptions that figure prominently in public debates on loneliness. The first assumption that loneliness is a problem specifically for older people finds only partial support. Loneliness is common only among the very old. The second assumption is that people in individualistic societies are most lonely. Contrary to this belief, findings show that older adults in northern European countries tend to be less lonely than those in the more familialistic southern European countries. The scarce data on Central and Eastern Europe suggest a high prevalence of older adult loneliness in those countries. The third assumption that loneliness has increased over the past decades finds no support. Loneliness levels have decreased, albeit slightly. The review notes the persistence of ageist attitudes, and underscores the importance of considering people’s frame of reference and normative orientation in analyses of loneliness.

The family ties of unmarried cohabiting and married persons in the Netherlands (Article)

2009-02-01T00:00:00Z

Using a nationally representative survey (N = 4,612), we analyze whether there is a difference in the Netherlands between cohabiting and married persons with regard to the frequency of contact with one's own family as well as the parents of the partner. Clustered regression analyses show that, as expected, cohabiting persons have less contact with family members. Results are consistent with the selection perspective, which attributes the lower levels of contact to background characteristics, influencing the orientation of the cohabiting toward family. The uncertainty perspective, which attributes the lower levels of contact with the parents of the partner to the greater uncertainty regarding the stability of cohabiting relationships, is partially supported.

De aanpak van eenzaamheid (Article)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Veel mensen in Nederland zijn eenzaam. Vaak heeft dat te maken met het overlijden van een naaste, scheiding, ziekte, pensionering, verhuizing en een opeenstapeling van problemen. Meestal is eenzaamheid tijdelijk. Langdurige eenzaamheid vermindert de kwaliteit van leven en kan leiden tot ernstige lichamelijke en psychische klachten. Eenzaamheid is ook een maatschappelijk probleem. Denk aan maatschappelijk ongewenst gedrag, verwaarlozing en verslaving. Eenzaam zijn is nog steeds taboe en daardoor ook een verborgen probleem. Mensen willen noch aan zichzelf noch aan anderen toegeven dat ze eenzaam zijn. Via interventies wordt geprobeerd om de eenzaamheid te bestrijden. Er bestaan evenwel hardnekkige misverstanden rond eenzaamheid. Zo zou eenzaamheid zijn toegenomen door de voortschrijdende individualisering, zouden vooral ouderen en alleenstaanden er last van hebben en zou een contactrijke omgeving de eenzaamheid verminderen. Veel zaken kunnen de interventie echter in de weg staan en daardoor de kans op succes verminderen. Eenzaamheid is een complex verschijnsel, van buitenaf niet waarneembaar, en kent vele oorzaken en oplossingsmogelijkheden.

Experimenteel onderzoek: het overwegen waard (Article)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

In Mens en Maatschappij zijn weinig artikelen gepubliceerd die resultaten van experimenteel onderzoek beschrijven. Voor zover dat wel is gebeurd, gaat het om experimenteel onderzoek dat in het kader van een grootschalig survey is uitgevoerd, zoals bijvoorbeeld de studie van Hagendoorn en Sniderman naar de sociale beïnvloeding van attitudes ten opzichte van etnische minderheden in het februarinummer van 2004. Aangetoond werd dat mensen die hechten aan sociaal conformisme, sterk geneigd zijn zich in hun standpunten over pluralisme en multiculturalisme aan te passen aan de meningen van gezaghebbenden – ongeacht de inhoud van die meningen. Overigens ontvingen de auteurs voor deze studie de prijs van de Nederlandse Sociologische Vereniging voor het beste Nederlandstalige artikel gepubliceerd in de jaren 2004-2005

Economic Resources and Remaining Single: Trends Over Time (Article)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

An influential hypothesis in family research is that having many economic resources decreases women's and increases men's rate of entering a union. A more recent hypothesis is that the strength of the association between economic resources and union formation has weakened over time, given decreasing role differentiation by gender. Rather than looking at the timing of union formation, we look at its non-occurrence. Using the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study, we find that, as predicted, high-resource women and low-resource men are more likely to remain single. Contrary to predictions, university-educated men are also more likely to remain single. The association between economic resources and permanent singlehood shows little change over time. Several explanations for this unexpected finding are discussed.

Kin Relationships (In Book)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Kin relationships are traditionally defined as ties based on blood and marriage. They include lineal generational bonds (children, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents), collateral bonds (siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews, and aunts and uncles), and ties with in-laws. An often-made distinction is that between primary kin (members of the families of origin and procreation) and secondary kin (other family members). The former are what people generally refer to as “immediate family,” and the latter are generally labeled “extended family.” Marriage, as a principle of kinship, differs from blood in that it can be terminated. Given the potential for marital break-up, blood is recognized as the more important principle of kinship. This entry questions the appropriateness of traditional definitions of kinship for “new” family forms, describes distinctive features of kin relationships, and explores varying perspectives on the functions of kin relationships.

Life Outcomes of Childless Men and Fathers (Article)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Where is the exit? Intergenerational ambivalence and relationship quality in high contact ties (Article)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Childless old age (In Book)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

This chapter presents trends in childlessness over the course of the twentieth century. It also provides a review of the antecedents and consequences of childlessness among older adults. Childlessness has only recently started to figure prominently on the research agenda of the social sciences. Previously, it was studied tangentially, or not at all.

Just like mom? the intergenerational reproduction of women's paid work (Article)

2008-09-01T00:00:00Z

Given the increasing female labour force participation rates in recent decades, the question arises as to whether the daughters of working mothers show different job patterns than the daughters of homemakers. Using data from a sample of 3,169 adult women in the 20022004 wave of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study, we find that women who were raised by a working mother work about two more hours per week than those raised by a homemaking mother. The likelihood that women are currently in the labour market is not affected by their mother's past labour force participation. Women's own educational achievement and the presence of children younger than 12 are the strongest determinants of their participation and work hours. Our findings add to the growing evidence that parental behaviours during childhood have long-reaching consequences for children's behaviours, also in the realm of paid work. This provides a useful explanation for the persisting gender gap in work hours across Europe, in addition to the conventional explanations of education, occupational history and family formation.

Discrepancies in parent's and adult child's reports of support and contact (Article)

2008-05-01T00:00:00Z

This study uses data on support and contact in 4,055 parent-child dyads drawn from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study to test explanations of reporting discrepancies, which focus on sources of bias and inaccurate reporting. Contrary to the generational stake hypothesis, parents' reports are not characterized by a general positive bias. Consistent with notions of self-enhancement, parents and children overreport given help and underreport received help. Parents' reports are susceptible to positive biases linked with strong feelings of family obligations. Limited evidence is found for an underreporting bias associated with dissatisfaction with support received from family. Positive reporting biases are observed in high-quality relationships. Consistent with expectations, results show greater reporting accuracy among better educated parents and children.

The implications of today's family structures for support giving to older parents (Article)

2008-04-01T00:00:00Z

There is considerable debate about the effects of today's family structures on support arrangements for older people. Using representative data from The Netherlands, the study reported in this paper investigates which socio-demographic characteristics of adult children and their elderly parents, and which motivations of the adult children, correlate with children giving practical and social support to their parents. The findings indicate that the strongest socio-demographic correlates of a higher likelihood of giving support were: having few siblings, having a widowed parent without a new partner and, for practical support, a short geographical distance between the parent's and child's homes. Single mothers were more likely to receive support than mothers with partners, irrespective of whether their situation followed divorce or widowhood. Widowed fathers also received more support, but only with housework. A good parent-child relationship was the most important motivator for giving support, whereas subscribing to filial obligation norms was a much weaker motivator, especially for social support. Insofar as demographic and cultural changes in family structures predict a lower likelihood of support from children to elderly parents, this applies to practical support, and derives mainly from increased geographical separation distances and from the growing trend for parents to take new partners. Social support is unlikely to be affected by these changes if parents and children maintain good relationships.

Intergenerational contact beyond the dyad: The role of the sibling network (Article)

2008-03-01T00:00:00Z

In this paper we aim to reach beyond the dyadic perspective on intergenerational contact and examine the influence of the sibling network on parent–child contact. We include aggregate sibling network characteristics as well as the adult child’s position in the network vis-a`-vis siblings, and use data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (2002–2004 NKPS; N = 4,601 dyads). Regarding aggregate network characteristics results show that having sisters, having stepsiblings, increasing geographical distance between siblings, and decreasing levels of network cohesion are associated with less contact per parent–child dyad. Regarding the position of the adult child vis-à-vis his or her siblings, results show that having geographically or emotionally closer siblings has a negative effect on parent– child contact. The impact of differences in emotional distance among siblings is stronger when the analyses are limited to parents in poor health. Suggestions for future research are made.

Virtue is its own reward? Support-giving in the family and loneliness in middle and old age (Article)

2008-02-01T00:00:00Z

Gerontologists have emphasised that older adults are not only recipients of support but also important support providers. Using data from the first wave of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study of 727 middle-generation adults aged 45 to 79 years, we examined the associations between loneliness and giving support up, across and down family lineages. Overall, the findings were consistent more with an altruism perspective, that giving brings rewards, than with an exchange perspective, which emphasises the costs of giving support. The results showed an inverse relationship between the number of generations supported and loneliness, and that those engaged in balanced exchanges with family members in three generations (parents, siblings and children) were generally the least lonely. As regards the direction of support giving, the findings showed that the association between giving support and loneliness was insignificant if the support was for parents, negative for support to siblings, and positive for support to children. Imbalanced support exchanges were differentially associated with loneliness, and depended on the type of family relationship involved. Non-reciprocated support made parents more vulnerable to loneliness, whereas non-reciprocated giving in sibling ties was associated with low levels of loneliness. Imbalanced support giving in relationships with parents was not associated with loneliness.

Verschillen tussen ouders en kinderen in de rapportage van steun en contact (In Proceedings)

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Gegevens over intergenerationele steun en contact in 4.055 ouder-kind dyades afkomstig van de Netherlands Kinship Panel Study zijn gebruikt om verklaringen te toetsen voor rapportageverschillen. De verklaringen richten zich op bronnen van vertekening en onnauwkeurigheid. De resultaten laten geen systematische overschatting zien van steun en contact door ouders vergeleken met kinderen, zoals voorspeld door de generationele inzet-hypothese. Rapportageverschillen blijken wel te kunnen worden toegeschreven aan vertekeningen die samenhangen met een neiging tot zelfvermeerdering, persoonlijke normen op het gebied van familiesteun, ontevredenheid over ontvangen steun en gepercipieerde relatiekwaliteit. Verder blijken laagopgeleide ouders en kinderen minder nauwkeurig te rapporteren dan hoog opgeleide.

Blijvers en uitvallers (Article)

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Van degenen die in 2003 deelnamen aan de eerste ronde van de Netherlands Kinship Panel Study is in 2006 75 procent opnieuw geïnterviewd. Vijftien procent weigerde om een tweede keer mee te doen en tien procent viel af vanwege overlijden, vertrek naar het buitenland of omdat ze, zelfs na herhaalde pogingen, niet opnieuw zijn bereikt. Wie zijn de uitvallers? Wie zijn degenen die niet opnieuw zijn geïnterviewd? Zijn bepaalde groepen daarin oververtegenwoordigd? Het antwoord op deze vragen is van belang om te kunnen bepalen of de tweederonde respondenten nog een goede afspiegeling vormen van de Nederlandse bevolking.

Childlessness and Parenthood in Two Centuries (Article)

2007-11-01T00:00:00Z

The article focuses on findings that were replicated across several countries and considers their relevance for future older adults. Key findings are that (a) childlessness makes more of a difference in men's than in women's lives, (b) never-married women are a childless category with particularly favorable characteristics, and (c) childless people face support deficits only toward the end of life. In future cohorts, the authors expect to see (a) clearer contrasts between childless men and fathers, given indications that men are being more strongly selected into parenthood; (b) diminished differences between childless women and mothers, given the improved conditions for combining work and care; (c) fewer differences in reliance on formal support between older people with and without children, given the increased levels of education and material resources; and (d) that involuntary childlessness will be all the more distressing, given that a chosen life path has been blocked.

Pathways to Childlessness and Late-Life Outcomes (Article)

2007-11-01T00:00:00Z

Via a simultaneous analysis of different life course pathways (marital, occupational, and childbearing histories) and different outcomes, this article addresses the question When does childlessness matter in late life and how? Survey data from Amsterdam (N = 661) and Berlin, Germany (N = 516) are used. Lifelong childlessness results in smaller networks among men and women in Amsterdam and Berlin, and in the Dutch sample it leads to higher income levels. Dutch men who have never had children and Dutch women who have outlived their children have relatively low life satisfaction levels. In Germany, marital history is a more powerful predictor of life satisfaction in old age than parental history. The findings attest to the importance of distinguishing lifelong childlessness from outliving one's children and of considering the consequences of childlessness for a variety of life domains.

Health of aging parents and childless individuals (Article)

2007-11-01T00:00:00Z

This article reviews and presents research findings on the relationships between parenthood and health over the life span. Existing research shows lacunae. The links between reproductive behavior and longevity generally focus on family size rather than contrasting parents and nonparents. Studies of marital status differentials in survival generally confound the effects of parenthood and marital status. Studies of the effects of multiple roles (combining parenthood, marriage, and employment) have the drawback that parenthood is equated with currently having children in the home. The authors provide new evidence on the health of people who have reached old age, contrasting those with and without children, in an attempt to tease out the effects of parenthood, marital status, and gender. Data from Australia, Finland, and the Netherlands are used. Insofar as parenthood effects are found, they pertain to health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical exercise), providing evidence for the social control influences of parenthood.

Social embeddedness and late-life parenthood: Community activity, close ties, and support networks (Article)

2007-11-01T00:00:00Z

This article focuses on the ways in which patterns of marriage and fertility shape older people's involvement in community groups and their support networks. The data are from Australia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Findings show that childless older adults, regardless of marital status and gender, are equally as likely as parents to be active in the community and in voluntary organizations and to perform volunteer work. Never-married childless women are particularly active socially. Married, childless men are particularly dependent on their wives. In general, childless people are less likely than are parents to have robust network types capable of maintaining independent living without recourse to residential care during conditions of frailty. In some countries, it appears to be marriage rather than parenthood that makes the difference in support networks.

Roads less taken: Developing a nuanced view of older adults without children (Article)

2007-10-01T00:00:00Z

This article provides the rationale for doing research on childlessness and parenthood in late life. Childless older adults have been rendered invisible in the social scientific literature. A central goal of this issue is to make them visible and to expose unstated assumptions about normal adult life. Parenthood emerges as a key organizer of the life course and a major factor in social integration. Because the childless tend to be conceptualized as "the other," focusing on them teaches lessons about the dangers of dichotomous thinking, that is, overlooking diversity and assuming deficiency. Studying older adults without children reveals the necessity of considering life pathways over time and of putting lives in a historical context.

Similar or different?: The importance of similarities and differences for support between siblings (Article)

2007-08-01T00:00:00Z

Using a large-scale Dutch national sample (N = 7,126), the authors examine the importance of similarities and differences in the sibling dyad for the provision of support. Similarities are assumed to enhance attraction and empathy; differences are assumed to be related to different possibilities for exchange. For helping with housework, helping with odd jobs, giving advice, and showing interest, logistic regression models are estimated and similarities and differences in gender, age, educational level, partner status, and whether the siblings have children are examined. The authors find only limited corroboration for the relevance of similarities, both siblings being sisters, or both being childless. Validation for the importance of differences is found, relating to different roles. For instance, older siblings are more supportive toward their younger siblings than the other way around, and the childless support their parenting siblings, especially in young adulthood.

Pathways into childlessness: Evidence of gendered life course dynamics (Article)

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Using data from the first wave of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (NKPS) for 2867 women and 2195 men aged 40 to 79, this study examines to what extent educational, employment and marital pathways shape the likelihood of remaining childless, and whether these pathways are gendered. The findings indicate that women and men have distinctive pathways into childlessness. Educational attainment increases the likelihood of remaining childless among women only. A stable career increases the likelihood of remaining childless among women, but it increases the likelihood of entering fatherhood. Years without a partner is positively associated with childlessness among both women and men. Not having had a partnership and having had multiple partnerships are strong determinants of childlessness, especially among men.

Review of: Philip Kreager and Elisabeth Schröder-Butterfill (eds), Ageing without Children : European and Asian Perspectives, Berghahn, Oxford, 2004 (Article)

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Criminelen in de familie: verband tussen crimineel gedrag en bevolkingskenmerken onderzocht (Article)

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

De kwaliteit van de sociale bindingen in het ouderlijk huis is een betere voorspeller van de kans dat iemand crimineel gedrag ontwikkelt dan sociaal-structurele kenmerken als leeftijd en, bij allochtonen, de groep waartoe ze worden gerekend en het land van herkomst, die standaard worden onderzocht. Het gezinsklimaat is echter niet alles bepalend. Ook ervaringen later in de levensloop en vooral het ontbreken van bindingen met sociale instituties als het huwelijk en de arbeidsmarkt hangen positief samen met crimineel gedrag. Niet uitsluitend de huwelijksrelatie geeft een kleinere kans op crimineel gedrag, maar ook betrokkenheid bij de bredere kring van familierelaties.

Social and emotional loneliness among divorced and married men and women: Comparing the deficit and cognitive perspectives (Article)

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Data from the 1998 survey "Divorce in the Netherlands" (N= 2,223) are used to analyze differences in loneliness among divorced and married men and women. The results indicate that it makes sense to distinguish social from emotional loneliness. This is consistent with the deficit perspective, which posits that the absence of specific types of relationships is associated with specific forms of loneliness. Whereas social loneliness is largely attributable to support network deficits, emotional loneliness is associated with the absence of a partner. In line with the cognitive perspective, the results show that greater insight into loneliness is obtained when discrepancies in relationships are considered. Divorcees who attach great importance to having a partner and people whose marriages are conflict ridden tend to have the highest levels of emotional loneliness. Our study shows that to explain loneliness, one should take not only characteristics of people's relationships into consideration, but also their relationship preferences. The investment hypothesis, which also follows from the cognitive perspective, is not supported by the data. There is no indication that those who attach greater importance to having a partner invest less in relationships with friends, relatives, and colleagues and therefore show high levels of social loneliness. Consistent gender differences are observed: Men, regardless of partner status, tend to attach greater importance to having a partner than do women, and they tend to have smaller support networks and higher levels of social loneliness. Among the divorced, men are more apt to suffer from emotional loneliness than are women.

Vergrijzing: ramp of uitdaging (Article)

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

De veranderingen in het demografische landschap van ederland zijn snel gegaan.Wetenschappers en politici zijn nog druk bezig met het in kaart brengen van die veranderingen en het doorgronden van hun betekenis. Er is ook veel negativisme en mythevorming. Dit geldt vooral wanneer over onze vergrijzende samenleving wordt gesproken. Rampenscenario’s worden geschetst: de gezondheidszorg en de AOW worden onbetaalbaar, de kosten van de pensioenen zullen exponentieel toenemen, de arbeidsmarkt zal verstarren en de capaciteit van de mantelzorg zal ontoereikend zijn. Het gebrek aan demografische basiskennis in veel van deze toekomstschetsen is opvallend. Daarom hier een beeld dat de demografische realiteit minder geweld aandoet.

Solidarity and Conflict Between Adult Children and Parents: A Latent Class Analysis (Article)

2006-11-01T00:00:00Z

Using multiple dimensions of solidarity and conflict in a latent class analysis, we develop a typology of adult child-parent relationships. The data (N = 4,990) are from the first wave of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study. In descending order of relationship quality, the 5 types are harmonious (akin to relationships with friends), ambivalent (intensive exchange of material support accompanied by strain), obligatory (just keeping in touch), affective (emotionally supportive with few other meaningful exchanges), and discordant (predominantly negative engagement). The types are differentiated by gender, age, family size, geographic distance, and parental marital history, indicating that they are not fixed but are shaped by social-structural conditions.

Family solidarity in the Netherlands (Book)

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Family relationships are an important part of the glue that holds society together and they have traditionally been regarded as one of the key determinants of social cohesion. But important social developments — such as the increasingly ‘fragile’ nature of relationships, decreasing family size, social and spatial mobility, and individualisation — have had a major impact on the position of the family within society. Family issues are the subject of frequent and ongoing debate, particularly in the political arena. Though social scientists have made progress in the way they describe how and to what extent family relationships are changing, many questions remain and little is understood about the causes and potential implications of changing family patterns

Gender and marital-history differences in emotional and social loneliness among Dutch older adults (Article)

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

In this study, Weiss's (1973) theorizing about the sources of emotional and social loneliness is elaborated--with notions about the asymmetric gratifications derived from marriage, about the conflicting loyalties that result from remarriage, and about selection into marriage--in order to reach an understanding of gender differences in loneliness, both in and outside of marriage. First and subsequent marriages are considered, as well as marital disruptions and never marrying. The data (N = 3737) are from the 1992 Dutch survey on older adults' living arrangements and social networks (NESTOR-LSN). Marital-history differences emerge, not only for emotional loneliness, but also (and contrary to Weiss's theoretical conceptualizations) for social loneliness. The marital-history differences in emotional and social loneliness are greater among men than women. For men, the marriage bond appears not only to be more central to emotional well-being than is the case for women but also to play a pivotal role in their involvement with others. Marital history offers the best explanation for differences in emotional loneliness among men, but social embeddedness characteristics also account for differences in emotional loneliness among women. Apparently, whereas men are more likely to find an intimate attachment in marriage, women also find protection from emotional loneliness in other close ties. The marital-history differences in social loneliness are largely mediated by social embeddedness characteristics, partly in different ways for men and women. Involvement in activities outside the home serves as the context for sociability for men, whereas parenthood plays a more important role in women's social engagements.

Hoe zien Nederlandse families eruit? (Article)

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

De structuur van families verandert als gevolg van demografische ontwikkelingen, maar niet zo dramatisch als vaak wordt aangenomen. Dat blijkt uit gegevens die zijn verzameld in het kader van de Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (NKPS). In de periode 2002-2004 werden duizenden respondenten gevraagd naar kenmerken van hun familiebanden. In deze speciale aflevering van Demos wordt in zes artikelen ingegaan op de familiestructuur, geografische afstand tussen familieleden, contacten tussen ouders en volwassen kinderen, steun aan familieleden, acceptatie binnen de familie en solidariteit binnen autochtone en allochtone families.

Onder vier ogen (Article)

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

Uit het NKPS-onderzoek blijkt dat bij meer dan de helft van alle ouder-kind relaties wekelijks sprake is van face-to-face contact.Bij vijf procent is er helemaal geen contact.Zes procent van de moeders en negen procent van de vaders heeft het contact met ten minste één kind verbroken. Het aantal contacten per kind neemt rechtlijnig af met de grootte van de kinderschare.

Contacts between grandparents and grandchildren (Article)

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

How much contact do Dutch grandparents have with their grandchildren, and how can differences in contact frequency by explained? In the 1992 NESTOR-LSN survey of 'Older adults living arrangements and social networks', a random group of 976 grandparents answered questions on the frequency and content of the contacts with each of their grandchildren. To explain differences in grandparent-grandchild contact frequency, we developed an integrative theoretical framework distinguishing the personal motives to invest in the relationship and the opportunity structure that inhibits or encourages interactions. ...

Levenslooppatronen: toenemende variatie? (In Book)

2003-01-01T00:00:00Z

In deze bijdrage wordt aangetoond dat verschillende antwoorden mogelijk zijn op de vraag of de variatie in de levenslopen van Nederlanders is toegenomen. De antwoorden zijn afhankelijk van de wijze waarop die variatie in kaart wordt gebracht. Ten eerste is de bestudeerde tijdsperiode belangrijk. Concentreert men zich uitsluitend op de laatste decennia, dan komt men snel tot de conclusie dat de variatie in levenslopen is toegenomen. Daarnaast moet worden gelet op de wijze waarop verschillen binnen geboortecohorten in kaart worden gebracht. Een toenemende variatie veronderstelt toenemende verschillen in levenslooppatronen tussen sociale categorieën. Het in het artikel gebruikte voorbeeld van opleidingsverschillen in gerealiseerd kindertal laat echter het tegenovergestelde zien: de verschillen zijn in de tijd afgenomen, niet toegenomen. Ten derde is het belangrijk om in het oog te houden welk deel van de bevolking wordt bestudeerd. Zo zijn in de afgelopen eeuw de levens van vrouwen sterker veranderd dan die van mannen. Tot slot moet men er zich rekenschap van geven dat een toenemende variatie in levenslopen mogelijk een tijdelijke situatie is, hetgeen het geval is bij het ontstaan van nieuwe vaste levenspatronen.

Wie is er bang voor de vergrijzing? (Article)

2003-01-01T00:00:00Z

Sinds enkele maanden (eigenlijk al sinds jaren, maar de laatste maanden weer wat extra) waart er een spook door Nederland: het spook van de vergrijzing. Volgens sommigen worden er te weinig kinderen geboren en moet het geboortecijfer omhoog om te voorkomen dat het inwonertal van Nederland in de toekomst met vele miljoenen daalt. Anderen bepleiten actieve werving van migranten om toekomstige tekorten op de arbeidsmarkt tegen te gaan en het aantal premiebetalende actieven op peil te houden. En onlangs bij de presentatie van de beleidsvoornemens voor 2004 kwam het kabinet Balkenende-II met een serie draconische maatregelen gericht op het tegengaan van de uitstroom van ouderen voor hun vijfenzestigste jaar. Wie wat langer stilstaat bij de gesuggereerde ‘oplossingen’ om de vergrijzing het hoofd te bieden, ontkomt niet aan de indruk dat er sprake is van enige paniek. De vraag is of daarvoor aanleiding bestaat.

Veranderde levenslopen (Article)

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

De levensloop van de man of vrouw die in 1900 is geboren ziet er heel anders uit dan van iemand die geboren is in 1970. De laatste gaat eerder uit huis, trouwt later en veelal pas na een paar jaar samenwonen. Paren stellen het krijgen van kinderen uit en gaan ook gemakkelijker uit elkaar.

Rollencombinaties (Article)

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

Mannen verdienen het inkomen voor het gezin, vrouwen doen het huishoudelijk werk en verzorgen de kinderen. Dit is het beeld dat bestaat van het standaardgezin. Maar zo traditioneel-eenzijdig hebben de Nederlandse huishoudens de taken niet verdeeld: het standaardgezin past slechts bij mannen en vrouwen die tussen 1930 en 1950 zijn geboren.

Oorzaken en gevolgen van echtscheiding: Een landelijk onderzoek onder gehuwde en gescheiden mensen in Nederland (Article)

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

Verschillen in depressie tussen gehuwde en gescheiden vrouwen in Nederland: Op zoek naar een verklaring (Article)

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

Diversiteit in gezinsvormen en levenskansen van kinderen op langere termijn (In Book)

2000-01-01T00:00:00Z

First, five explanations for family structure differences in children's life chances are described. The explanations assume differences in human capital investments, child rearing practices, parental conflict, selection and institutionalisation, respectively. Next, an overview is given of recent Dutch studies in this area. The long-term consequences apply to financial-economic status, the family career or well-being. Insofar family structure differences are found, they pertain to the less advantageous circumstances of children of divorce compared to children from intact families. Early parental loss and the entry into a stepfamily do not appear to have negative consequences in the long run. The differences are primarily apparent in the children's own family careers; children of divorce are more likely to experience the disruption of a partner relationship themselves and appear to be more reluctant to enter into marriage. The differences, though significant, are relatively small. Social class background is a stronger predictor of later life outcomes than is family structure. Recent Dutch research on family structure differences in children's life chances has hardly been guided by the search for explanations. The assessment of family structure differences seems to have been the primary objective. The paucity of longitudinal studies is another characteristic feature of recent Dutch research in this area.

The effects of divorce on intergenerational exchanges in families (Article)

1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

Eenzaamheid komt en gaat met de tijd: Effecten van veranderingen in het sociale netwerk en in gezondheid van 55-plussers op hun mate van eenzaamheid (Article)

1996-01-01T00:00:00Z

Living arrangements and social networks as interlocking mediating structures (In Book)

1995-01-01T00:00:00Z

The availability and intergenerational structure of family relationships (In Book)

1995-01-01T00:00:00Z

Age differences in social participation: The importance of restrictions (In Book)

1995-01-01T00:00:00Z

Network composition (In Book)

1995-01-01T00:00:00Z

Reflections on older adults’ living arrangements and social networks (In Book)

1995-01-01T00:00:00Z

Disentangling direct and indirect gender effects on the supportive network (In Book)

1990-01-01T00:00:00Z