Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T11:15:32.218Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Getting out of the House: The Effect of Childlessness on Social Participation and Companionship in Later Life*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Ingrid Arnet Connidis  and
Julie Ann McMullin
Ingrid Arnet Connidis
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Julie Ann McMullin
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Using data from a Canadian national sample, participation in three activities - going to public places, travel, and going on outings - in a sample of 4,258 respondents aged 55 and over is examined. OLS regression results indicate that the childless go to public places and travel as frequently as parents and go on outings more frequently than parents. Significant differences are also found for gender, marital status, health, and education. Logistic regression results indicate that the childless are more likely to seek companionship with friends and other relatives than are parents. However, gender and marital status are more often significant predictors of source of companionship than is parent status. We conclude that the childless negotiate unique social participation networks which ensure social participation outside the home.

Résumé

En se basant sur des données extraites d'une enquête menée au Canada, on a examiné la participation de 4 258 personnes âgées de 55 ans et plus à trois types d'activités: fréquenter des lieux publics, voyager et sortir. Les résultats obtenus à l'aide du modèle de régression OLS indiquent que les personnes sans enfants fréquentent des lieux publics ou voyagent aussi souvent que celles qui ont des enfants. Par contre, elles sortent plus souvent. On remarque aussi d'importantes différences selon le sexe, l'état matrimonial, l'état de santé et le niveau d'éducation des participants. Les résultats obtenus grâce au modèle de régression logistique indiquent que les personnes sans enfants sont plus portées à rechercher la compagnie d'autrui auprès d'amis et d'autres parents que les personnes qui ont des enfants. Le sexe et l'état matrimonial sont toutefois souvent de plus importants indicateurs du type de compagnie recherchée que ne l'est le fait d'être un parent. Nous concluons que les personnes sans enfants tissent autour d'elles des réseaux uniques de participation sociale qui leur permettent d'être actives socialement à l'extérieur de la maison.

Keywords

ChildlessnessSocial ParticipationNetworksSocial SupportGenderMarital Status.Sans enfantparticipation socialeréseausupport socialsexestatut matrimonial.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , Winter/hiver 1992 , pp. 370 - 386
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alwin, Duane F., Converse, Philip E., & Martin, Steven S. (1985). Living Arrangements and Social Integration. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 47, 319–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bachrach, Christine A. (1980). Childlessness and Social Isolation Among the Elderly. Journal of Marriage and the Family, August, 627–637.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baer, Doug. (1989, November). Interpreting Log-Linear and Logit Models (version 1). Unpublished manuscript.Google Scholar
Benson, David. (1979). Intentionally Childless Couples. U.S.A. Today, 107, 45–46.Google Scholar
Brillon, Yves. (1987). Victimization and Fear of Crime Among the Elderly. Toronto: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Cantor, Marjorie H. (1979). Neighbours and Friends: An Overlooked Resource in the Informal Support System. Research on Aging, 1(4), 434–463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chapman, Nancy J. (1989). Gender, Marital Status, and Childlessness of Older Persons and the Availability of Informal Assistance. In Petersen, M.D. and White, D.L. (Eds.), Health Care of the Elderly: An Information Source-book (pp. 227–329). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Connidis, Ingrid Arnet. (1989). Family Ties in Later Life. Toronto: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Connidis, Ingrid, & Davies, Lorraine. (1990). Confidants and Companions in Later Life: The Place of Family and Friends. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 45(4), S141–149.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Connidis, Ingrid, & Davies, Lorraine. (1992). Confidants and Companions: Choices in Later Life. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 47(3), S115–122.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Covey, Herbert C. (1981). A Reconceptualization of Continuity Theory: Some Preliminary Thoughts. The Gerontologist, 21(26), 628–633.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crohan, Susan E., & Antonucci, Toni C. (1989). Friends as a Source of Social Support in Old Age. In Adams, Rebecca G. and Blieszner, Rosemary (Eds.), Older Adult Friendship: Structure and Process (pp. 129–146). Newbury Park: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Day, Alice T. (1985). “We Can Manage” Expectations about Care and Varieties of Family Support Among People 75 Years and Over (Monograph No. 5) (pp. 62–107). Melbourne: Institute of Family Studies.Google Scholar
DeWit, David J., Wister, Andrew V., & Burch, Thomas K. (1988). Physical Distance and Social Contact Between Elders and Their Adult Children. Research on Aging, 10, 56–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fox, John. (1984). Linear Statistical Models and Related Methods: Applications to Social Research. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.Google Scholar
Gee, Ellen. (1987). Historical Change in the Family Life Course of Canadian Men and Women. In Marshall, Victor (Ed.), Aging in Canada: Social Perspectives (pp. 265–287). Markham: Fitzhenry and Whiteside.Google Scholar
Gibson, Diane, & Mugford, Stephen. (1986). Expressive Relations and Social Support. In Kendig, Hal (Ed.), Ageing and Families: A Support Networks Perspective. Boston: Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Grindstaff, Carl F. (1984). Catching up: The Fertility of Women over 30 Years of Age, Canada in the 1970s and early 1980s. Canadian Studies in Population, 21(2), 95–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Encyclopedia of Population. (1982). MacMillian & Free Press L-Z Index.Google Scholar
Johnson, Colleen Leahy. (1988). Relationships Among Family Members and Friends in Later Life. In Milardo, Robert M. (Ed.), Families and Social Networks (pp. 168–189). California: Sage.Google Scholar
Johnson, Colleen Leahy, & Catalano, Donald J. (1981). Childless Elderly and their Family Supports. The Gerontologist, 21(6), 610–618.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keith, Pat. (1983). Patterns of Assistance Among Parents and the Childless in Very Old Age: Implications for Practice. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 6(1), 49–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kendig, Hal. (1986). Family and Network Structure. In Kendig, Hal (Ed.), Ageing and Families: A Support Networks Perspective. Boston: Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Litwak, Eugene. (1985). Helping the Elderly: The Complementary Roles of Informal Networks and Formal Systems. New York: The Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Longino, Charles F. Jr, & Lipman, Aaron. (1981). Married and Spouseless Men and Women in Planned Retirement Communities: Support Network Differentials. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 43, 169–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McPherson, Barry, & Kozlik, Carol. (1980). Canadian Leisure Patterns by Age: Disengagement, Continuity or Ageism? In Marshall, Victor W. (Ed.), Aging in Canada: Social Perspectives. Don Mills: Fitzhenry & Whiteside.Google Scholar
Milardo, Robert M. (1988). Families and Social Networks: An Overview of Theory and Methodology. In Milardo, Robert M. (Ed.), Families and Social Networks. Newbury Park: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Morgan, David L. (1988). Age Differences in Social Network Participation. The Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 43(4), S129–S137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Penning, Margaret J. (1990). Receipt of Assistance by Elderly People: Hierarchical Selection and Task Specificity. The Gerontologist, 30(2), 220–227.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peters, George R., & Kaiser, Marvin A. (1985). The Role of Friends and Neighbors in Providing Social Support. In Sauer, William J. and Coward, Raymond T. (Eds.), Social Support Networks and the Care of the Elderly (pp. 123–157). New York: Springer Publishing Company.Google Scholar
Rempel, Judith. (1985). Childless Elderly: What are They Missing? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 47(May), 343–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenthal, Carolyn J. (1985). Kinkeeping in the Familial Division of Labour. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 47(4), 965–974.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schooler, K.K. (1979). National Senior Citizen Survey, 1968. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-University Consortium for Political Social Research.Google Scholar
Simons, Ronald L. (1983–1984). Specificity and Substitution in the Social Networks of the Elderly. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 18, 121–139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Statistics Canada. (1981). Canada Health Survey. Ottawa: Health and Welfare Canada. Minister of Supply and Services.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. (1986a). General Social Survey: Health and Social Support — 1985. Public Use Micro Data File Documentation and Users Guide. Ottawa.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. (1986b). Census Canada: Age, Sex and Marital Status. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. (1986c). Census Canada: Education and Occupation. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services.Google Scholar
Turnstall, Jeremy. (1966). Old and Alone. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.Google Scholar
Veevers, Jean E. (1973). The Social Meanings of Parenthood. Psychiatry, 36(August), 291–310.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed