Family Support in Five Cultural Groups in the Netherlands

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine similarities and differences in the pattern and extent of support among family members in five cultural groups in the Netherlands (Dutch mainstreamers, Turkish, Moroccan-, Surinamese-, and Antillean-Dutch). Results revealed that the patterns of support were similar in all cultural groups: Provided support was larger than received support, parents provided and received more support than siblings, and emotional support was stronger than functional support. Using multigroup structural equation modeling, it was shown that the associations between family exchange, frequency of contact, and quality of relationship with parents and siblings were identical in all cultural groups. The cultural differences in mean scores were small for family exchange and quality of relationship, and moderate for frequency of contact. The cultural differences were interpreted in an ethnic-hierarchy model according to which family-support characteristics of immigrant groups that are higher in the hierarchy are more similar to those of the Dutch mainstream group.