| |
Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
 | |
|
| Change and stability in confidant relationships: findings from the Bangor Longitudinal Study of Ageing | | Author(s) | G Clare Wenger, Dorothy Jerrome |
| Journal title | Journal of Aging Studies, vol 13, no 3, Fall 1999 |
| Pages | pp 269-294 |
| Keywords | Family relationships ; Friendship ; Geographical distance ; Longitudinal surveys ; Wales. |
| Annotation | There is some evidence to suggest that having a confidant may positively influence health behaviour as well as emotional well-being. This article reports on the confidant relationship for the Bangor Longitudinal Study of Ageing (1979-1995). Data are presented on the relationships of 95 people who were first interviewed in 1979 and survived to be reinterviewed in 1995. It is clear that marital status and parenthood are important factors in the confidant relationship. It is shown that although most older people confide in a spouse, adult child, sibling, or friend, most respondents changed confidants during the period of the study, usually as the result of increased dependency, disability, or death. The authors identify preferences for daughters (over sons) and sisters (over brothers), older children and compatible siblings. The article also recognises the importance of geographical proximity. Data show that as people move into their eighties or nineties, they become increasingly at risk of losing their confidants. Replacement confidants tend to be less closely related to and substantially younger than the respondents. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-991022231 A |
| Classmark | DS:SJ: DS:SX: RJ: 3J: 9 |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
|
| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
| |
|