Ethnic Differences in Later Life Friendship

Abstract

ABSTRACTData from the 1990 Canadian General Social Survey on Friends and Family were used to examine the relationship between ethnicity and patterns and characteristics of friendship in later life. Ethnicity (i.e. British, French, European – the most prevalent ethnic groups amongst Canadian seniors – and a “Multi-Ethnic” category) is examined in relation to the number of friends reported, satisfaction with friendships, and the geographic proximity to and frequency of contact with the closest identified friend, with attention also given to the factors of age, gender, and marital status. Although results indicate differences for both gender and marital status, ethnicity emerged as the most consistent predictor. Specifically, the French have fewer friends, they live closer to them and are in more frequent contact. The British live further from their friends, who are more numerous. The British and the French did not differ from each other in terms of satisfaction with friendship. The European and the Multi-Ethnic groups were similar across the comparisons made. These results are interpreted in the context of social support access and underscore the importance of including ethnicity in studies of aging and social relations.