Social support networks in Spain: The factors that determine models of choice

Abstract

The main goal of this article is to understand social support models in Spain from the perspective of an individual facing a situation of need, whether domestic, economic or emotional. The data used come from the 2001 ‘Social Networks II’ survey of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP). The study shows clear family-oriented models of preference, primarily between the closest members of the nuclear family of origin. The partner is especially important when domestic and emotional help are required, but parents come first when the need is economic. People’s behaviour also shows both traces of the more recent process of individuation in western society and differences based on the variables studied. The explanatory variables par excellence are gender, age, marital status and geographical distance.

Gender Differences in Social Support Received by Informal Caregivers: A Personal Network Analysis Approach

“…There is evidence that men play a complementary, secondary role in family caregiving and also use external services more [32,39,40,41]. Likewise, geographic distance has been found to be a limiting factor for the provision of help with specific caregiving tasks [31,33,42,43].…”

Personal Network Analysis in the Study of Social Support: The Case of Chronic Pain

“…In this respect, the results of this study indicate the importance of friends and neighbours (215 of 600 alters) in relation to close family members (167 of 600) as potential providers of support, especially among older adults as a result of the social network changes associated with age [27,31,46]. Some authors have stressed the importance of other relational characteristics in the provision of social support, such as frequency of contact or strength of the tie [47], the influence of geographical distance [48,49,50,51], especially, concerning instrumental or tangible support since its provision requires face-to-face contact, the nature of the problem and the cultural context in which the social support operates [17,52].…”

¿Hacia la "desfamiliarización" del cuidado predilecto? Un análisis del contexto español (1997-2009)

“…Dentro de la red de parentesco, la pareja sería la figura escogida principalmente en caso de necesitar ayuda doméstica, la pareja o los amigos en caso de necesitar ayuda emocional, y padres, madres, hermanos/as o cónyuges, según la edad, en caso de necesitar ayuda económica (Fernández Alonso, 2012). Esas preferencias varían en función del género de la persona que necesita la ayuda.…”

“…Within the kinship network, the partner would be the person chosen mainly in case of needing domestic help; the partner or friends in case of needing emotional help; and fathers, mothers, siblings or spouses (according to age), in case of needing financial help (Fernández Alonso, 2012). These preferences varied depending on the gender of the person who needed help.…”

“…Además, un 44% de las personas entrevistadas confiaba totalmente en que su familia resolvería cualquiera de sus necesidades, frente al 4% de quienes confiaban plenamente en los servicios públicos. Esa percepción generalizada de que la familia es la forma de apoyo más segura la convierte a su vez en la más deseable.Dentro de la red de parentesco, la pareja sería la figura escogida principalmente en caso de necesitar ayuda doméstica, la pareja o los amigos en caso de necesitar ayuda emocional, y padres, madres, hermanos/as o cónyuges, según la edad, en caso de necesitar ayuda económica (Fernández Alonso, 2012). Esas preferencias varían en función del género de la persona que necesita la ayuda.…”