Nonresident Families Research Articles

Three-year trajectories of social networks, face-to-face interactions, and non-face-to-face interactions among community-dwelling older adults in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic: Otassha study

ObjectivesTo investigate the trajectories of social networks and interactions among older Japanese individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study designWe used data from a cohort of community-dwelling older individuals from the Otassha study's 2019–2022 survey. Participants comprised 606 older individuals who participated in the 2019 survey and were followed up at least once. Main outcome measuresSocial networks were assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6), whereas social interactions were assessed by the frequency of face-to-face or non-face-to-face contact with non-resident family members and friends. Trajectories of the LSNS-6 and face-to-face and non-face-to-face interactions were identified using group-based semiparametric mixture modeling. The trajectories of change in the LSNS-6 from 2019 were also identified. The factors associated with the changes in trajectory patterns were examined using logistic regression analysis. ResultsThree LSNS-6 trajectories were identified, with slightly decreasing patterns over time. Specifically, face-to-face interactions tended to decrease over time, whereas non-face-to-face interactions exhibited almost no change. The reduction in LSNS-6 in the decreased pattern failed to recover to its pre-pandemic level. The group of participants with the decreased pattern had a significantly higher proportion of people participating in group activities [odds ratio (95 % confidence interval): 2.27 (1.12–4.59)] and performing calisthenics twice a week than the group with the maintained pattern [2.08 (1.18–3.68)]. ConclusionsDuring the three years of the pandemic, no changes were observed in the social networks of community-dwelling older Japanese individuals.

Marital Status and Happiness During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study examines the long-observed marital advantage in happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic may have altered the marital advantage in happiness due to changes in social integration processes. However, this has not been explored in previous studies. Data were from the COVID-19 substudy of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (N=2622). A series of regressions were estimated to understand marital status differences in pandemic happiness and changes in relationships with non-resident family and friends. Karlson-Holm-Breen mediation analysis was conducted to examine whether relationships with non-resident family and friends explained the marital association with pandemic happiness. From pre-pandemic to pandemic, married respondents experienced a greater increase in unhappiness than unmarried counterparts, narrowing happiness gaps. However, unmarried individuals, including cohabiting, divorced, widowed, and never married individuals, continued to report higher levels of unhappiness during the pandemic than married peers. These differences primarily stemmed from pre-pandemic happiness. After controlling for pre-pandemic happiness, cohabiting, widowed, and never married older adults did not significantly differ from their married counterparts in reporting unhappiness during the pandemic. In contrast, divorced individuals remained consistently more unhappy than married individuals during the pandemic, mainly due to deteriorated relationship quality with non-resident family. During a global crisis, it is crucial for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers to develop innovative interventions to promote happiness and healthy aging among all older adults, paying special attention to those who are divorced.

Socioeconomic characteristics and domestic work as correlates of family satisfaction in Hong Kong mothers of young children

BackgroundFamily life satisfaction is an important contributor to the mental health of mothers with young children, who are particularly vulnerable to various sources of stressors. However, there is a dearth of studies on this topic in this demographic, the determinants of which likely differ across geographical and cultural contexts. We examined indicators of maternal socioeconomic status (SES) and domestic help as correlates of family satisfaction in Hong Kong mothers of young children.MethodsMothers (N = 322) of young children (3–5 years old) were recruited from neighbourhoods stratified by SES and population density. They self-completed a survey containing items on socio-demographics, SES characteristics (including household income and maternal education and employment status), maternal family satisfaction and division of domestic work in the household and family. Confounder-adjusted associations of maternal SES indicators and participation in housework and childcare activities by various agents (e.g., mother, spouse, other residents) were estimated. We also estimated the moderating effects of household income on the associations between maternal employment and family satisfaction, and those of maternal employment on the associations between domestic work division and family satisfaction.ResultsHousehold income and maternal education were positively related to maternal family satisfaction. Mothers in part-time employment had lower family satisfaction than non-working mothers and mothers working full-time. The latter reported higher family satisfaction than non-working mothers only if their household income was below HK$ 15,000. Domestic work performed by non-residents was predictive of higher family satisfaction, while mothers’ housework and child(ren) tutoring were predictive of lower family satisfaction. Only part-time employed mothers benefited from spouse’s assistance with domestic work. The interaction effects of maternal employment status on the associations between the division of child tutoring and family satisfaction were complex.ConclusionsIn Hong Kong, mothers of young children with lower education and household income, who hold a part-time job and participate in housework and child tutoring activities have the lowest levels of family satisfaction and, hence, are at higher risk of mental health problems. Spouses’ and non-resident family members’ participation in domestic work, as well as the establishment of more family-friendly employment practices, may help mitigate this risk.Trial registrationN/A.

Social interaction trajectories and all-cause mortality in older adults: the Otassha study.

This longitudinal study aimed to identify aging trajectory patterns of social interaction by sex and determine the association between these patterns and all-cause mortality. Participants were 4,065 community-dwelling older adults (1849 men) in Japan, aged 65-89 years, who responded twice or more to a mail survey conducted between 2012 and 2020. Social interaction was examined through the frequency of face-to-face and non-face-to-face contact with non-resident family and friends. The aging trajectories of the social interaction scores were identified using group-based trajectory modeling. Two groups were identified among both men and women. Among men with high-frequency interaction, a rapid decrease in the frequency of social interaction was observed after 80 years of age. Conversely, among women, the frequency tended to remain the same, even after 80 years of age. The social interaction score among those aged 65 years in the low-frequency group was approximately 4 points for men and 6 points for women. Among men, no decrease was observed; however, it tended to decline after 85 years of age among women. Among men, the factors associated with the low-frequency group were instrumental activities of daily living score, perceived financial status, and social participation, while among women, they were self-rated health and social participation. The adjusted hazard ratio in the low-frequency group for all-cause mortality was 1.72 (95% confidence interval, 1.27-1.72) for men and 1.45 (95% confidence interval, 0.98-2.14) for women. In the low-frequency group, men had a higher risk of all-cause mortality than women. Daily social interaction from mid-age is important to reduce the risk of social isolation and all-cause mortality in later life.

Do the living arrangements of older people matter for the family transfers they receive? Evidence from Senegal

Abstract In the absence of broad-based formal health insurance and social protection systems in much of sub-Saharan Africa, the family acts as the key provider of support to older people. This paper furthers our understanding of family support mechanisms in the context of low-income countries by focusing on support from outside the household, which has been less studied so far. By using the data of 3,114 people aged ≥50 from the second round of the Senegalese Poverty and Family Structure Survey, the paper examines how the living arrangements of older people are associated with receiving transfers from non-coresident kin. Our findings highlight a net advantage of women receiving net positive family transfers compared to men for some living arrangements. Results also indicate that living without a husband or an adult significantly increases the likelihood of older women receiving support from non-resident family members compared to those who live with both spouse and a younger adult child. However, these differences are not significant among older men. These results suggest that in constrained settings, decision-makers should consider older people's living arrangements and potential external family support when designing public policies towards them, so as to optimise the impact of policy and interventions on their welfare.

Interrelationships Among Fertility, Internal Migration,and Proximity to Nonresident Family:A Multilevel Multiprocess Analysis.

Past research has found that relations to nonresident family can influence individual fertility and migration behaviors separately. However, fertility and migration outcomes may also be interrelated, suggesting potential links across all three demographic processes. With this in mind, we track a cohort of women in Norway from age 18 to 31, recording the emergence of birth and migration events as well as their proximity to nonresident family networks (siblings and parents). Using a multilevel multiprocess statistical framework, with observations nested within women and equations for births, migrations, and proximity to nonresident family estimated simultaneously, our results support the notion that linked lives matter. Even in early adulthood, proximity to nonresident family has a positive effect on transitions to motherhood, whereas the presence of children (itself an outcome of past fertility) is associated with lower propensities to migrate. Mothers also have higher propensities to be living near family than women without children. The presence of local nonresident family reduces propensities for second and third migrations. However, after accounting for unobserved heterogeneity and selection, we observe a small positive effect of proximity to family on first migrations undertaken after age 18. Significant cross-process residual correlations exist across all three outcomes, suggesting that separately estimated model estimates may be vulnerable to bias emerging from unobserved sources of heterogeneity and selection. Our analysis therefore suggests that decisions about fertility, migration, and proximity to family are jointly determined and endogenous, and they should be analyzed simultaneously when possible.

Changes in Older Adults' Social Contact During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ObjectivesTo understand changes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in weekly contact with nonresident family and friends for U.S. adults aged 70 and older in residential care and community settings.MethodsParticipants in the National Health and Aging Trends Study COVID-19 mail supplement (N = 3,098) reported frequency of phone, electronic, video, and in-person contact with nonresident family and friends in a typical week before and during the pandemic. We examined less than weekly contact by mode for those in residential care settings and community residents with and without limitations. We estimated multinomial logit models to examine predictors of change to less than weekly contact (vs. maintaining weekly or more contact) by mode, overall, and stratified by setting.ResultsWeekly in-person contact fell substantially (from 61% to 39%) and more so in residential care (from 56% to 22%), where nearly 4 in 10 transitioned to less than weekly in-person contact (doubling to 8 out of 10). Weekly or more contact was largely stable for electronic and telephone modes across settings. Weekly or more video contact increased mainly for community residents without limitations. Compared to community residents without limitations, those in assisted living or nursing homes had more than 5 times the odds (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 5.3; p = .01) of changing to less than weekly in-person contact; those in independent living also had higher odds of changing to less than weekly in-person (AOR = 2.6; p = .01) and video (AOR = 3.4; p = .01) contact.DiscussionThe pandemic revealed the importance of ensuring that communication technologies to maintain social ties are available to and usable by older adults, particularly for those living in residential care settings.

Migration after union dissolution in the United States: The role of non-resident family

Separation from a spouse or cohabiting partner is associated with a high likelihood of moving, even over long distances. In this paper, we use longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics for the United States to analyze the role of non-resident family in the migration of separated people immediately after and in the years following union dissolution. We explore both migration in general and return migration among separated people, drawing comparisons to married and never-married people. We find that having parents, children, or siblings living close by substantially deters migration, especially among separated people. We also find marked positive effects of having family members in the county where the respondent grew up on the likelihood of returning there. Separated people are especially likely to return, compared to others, if they have parents in their county of origin. Furthermore, a lack of an effect of years of education on migration, and a negative effect of this variable on return migration, suggest that migration after separation is less related to human-capital considerations than other types of migration.

The Association between Family Structure Changes and High School Completion in South Africa

Over the past few years, family structures have been dramatically transformed, yet limited research from South Africa has assessed the effect on children’s developmental outcomes. Using data from the National Income Dynamics Study, we aim to contribute to the literature by examining the relationship between family structure disruption and high school completion in South Africa. Our sample consisted of 1649 young people who were aged 12, 13 and 14 in 2008 and their educational attainment was tracked through to 2017. The results from the logistic regression analysis demonstrate that family structure disruption is negatively associated with high school completion. After controlling for variation in household income change, the child’s educational factors and socio-demographic controls, young people who experienced a change from a co-resident family or were in stable non-resident parent family structures were up to 50% less likely to complete high school relative to those from undisrupted co-resident parent family structures. Given that family structure disruption is a widespread phenomenon in South Africa, research should consider it as a key determinant of educational attainment and policymakers should come up with holistic interventions to support families as well as allocate public resources in ways that can help reduce educational inequalities.

Internal Migration and the Role of Intergenerational Family Ties and Life Events

AbstractObjectiveThis article examines how the migration behavior of older parents and adult children might be influenced by the geographical configuration of nonresident family networks and the emergence of “linked” life events.BackgroundResearchers have long pointed to the importance of intrahousehold family events as triggers for migration, yet few have detailed how choices over whether, when, and where to migrate are formed with reference to significant others outside of the household.MethodUtilizing geocoded register data for Norway, we identified intergenerational family networks comprising older parents (aged 55+) and their nonresident adult children living 20 km or more apart. We recorded the presence and location of various family ties, the occurrence of several life events, and analyzed their association with the propensity and direction of migration using multinomial logistic regression.ResultsApproximately 40% of all recorded migration events (≥20 km) were directed toward familial locations (i.e., within 10 km of a parent/adult child). The attractiveness of familial locations was strengthened by the colocation of multiple family members and increased with the emergence of life events typically linked to increased support‐needs (e.g., separation, widowhood, and childbirth). Beyond these general patterns, variations existed according to social class, immigrant background, and gender.ConclusionWith the estimated coefficients for nonresident family ties appearing larger than many conventional predictors of migration, we call for far more attention to be paid to the links between kinship networks, care provision, and migration in contemporary society.

Nonresident family as a motive for migration

Background: A great deal of research has focused on employment and educational reasons for migration. Recent research has also begun to explore social motives. However, we still know very little about the role of nonresident family for moving, especially over long distances. Objective: We examine (1) the prevalence of nonresident family as a primary motive versus a secondary and location-based motive for migration, (2) moving away from family versus moving toward family, (3) how individuals’ reported family motives correspond to their actual migration toward family members, and (4) the sociodemographic characteristics of individuals who report family as a motive for migration. Methods: The data were derived from the Swedish Motives for Moving survey, which is based on an analytic sample of 4,601 Swedish respondents who migrated at least 20 km in 2007. We present descriptive statistics and quotes to illustrate respondents’ reports of their migration motives. As a tool for sophisticated description, we also provide the results of logistic and ordered logistic regression models of mentioning nonresident family as a motive for moving. Contribution: Common assumptions that internal migration is related to employment and education underestimate the importance of family as a motive. Moreover, nonresident family is among the secondary and location-based considerations for many more migrants than data on only primary motives might suggest. Reports of migration toward family are far more common than reports of migration away from family. We provide support for the assumption underlying previous work that moves toward family are indeed motivated by family considerations and not just a by-product of other considerations. Sociodemographic characteristics associated with reporting nonresident family are in line with expectations based on prior research and theory.

Putting family centre stage: Ties to nonresident family, internal migration, and immobility

Background: Despite research paying increasing attention to intergenerational care and geographical distance between family members, the role played in internal migration and immobility in industrialised countries by ties to family living outside the household has remained understudied and poorly theorised. Objective: I propose a novel perspective on internal migration and immobility that complements existing perspectives: the family ties perspective. This perspective focuses on the role of family outside the household in internal migration and immobility. An agenda for research applying this perspective is also presented. Contribution: I suggest how ties to family outside the household (denoted as ‘family ties’) can be introduced into cost-benefit approaches of migration, and argue how migration and immobility are related to the linked lives of family members. I also put forward ideas on how the role of family ties differs between individuals, between life-course stages, and between contexts. I go on to argue how previous models of internal migration and estimations of effects of migration on individual labour market outcomes might be biased by not taking into account the impact of family ties. Finally, I present an agenda for research on internal migration and immobility that pays due attention to ties to family outside the household.

The impact of financial support from non-resident family members on the financial performance of newer agribusiness firms in India

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of financial support from non-resident family members (FSNRFM) on the financial performance of newer agribusiness firms in India.Design/methodology/approachOwners of newer agribusiness firms (five years old or less) from India were surveyed regarding the perceived impact of FSNRFM on the financial performance of newer agribusiness firms.FindingsThe results show that newer agribusiness firms with FSNRFM perform better than those without FSNRFM; and build higher levels of internal financing sources relative to the newer agribusiness firms without FSNRFM, which, in turn, improves their performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a co-relational study that investigated the association between FSNRFM and financial performance of newer agribusiness firms. There is not necessarily a causal relationship between the two. The findings of this study may only be generalized to firms similar to those that were included in this research.Originality/valueThe study enriches the literature concerning newer agribusiness firms and the factors that improve their financial performance. The results of this study can be of great significance for owners of these firms, financial managers, farm management consultants, and other stakeholders to understand the impact of FSNRFM on financial performance of newer agribusiness firms.

Spillovers from Costly Credit

Recent studies of credit access among low-income households find that payday loans can exacerbate, rather than alleviate, financial distress. I find that households with payday loan access are also more likely to use food assistance benefits and less likely to make child support payments required of non-resident parents. These findings suggest that borrowers in distress turn to transfer programs to supplement the household’s resources and prioritize loan payments over other liabilities like child support payments. In that way, borrowing produces negative externalities, with both taxpayers and non-resident family members bearing a cost due to payday lending.

Social capital of non-resident family members and small business financing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of social capital of non-resident family members on small business debt financing. Recent literature in entrepreneurship suggests that small businesses can borrow social capital to improve their access to debt financing. Design/methodology/approach Micro-entrepreneurs from India were interviewed regarding their ability to raise capital from family members as well as their relationship with banks and politicians. Findings The survey indicates that small business entrepreneurs are able to borrow social capital from non-resident Indians. Results also suggest that these small businesses are more likely to be connected to banks and politicians facilitated by their non-resident family members, which not only improves micro-entrepreneurs’ access to debt financing but also reduces their cost of borrowing. Research limitations/implications This is a co-relational study that investigates the association between social capital of non-resident family members and small business debt financing. There is not necessarily a causal relationship between the two. The findings of this study may only be generalized to firms similar to those that were included in this research. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on the factors that improve the access to small business debt financing. The findings may be useful for financial managers, investors, financial management consultants, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders.

Non-resident family members and the financial performance of small businesses in India

Recent literature in small business management suggests that small businesses are financially constrained. They also face challenges of poor financial performance, which leads to their failure. Literature also shows that family involvement improves small business performance. We asked research participants consisting of small business owners from India about their beliefs and perceptions regarding the relationship between non-resident Indian family members (NRIs), financial support from NRIs, internal financing sources, and the financial performance of small businesses. Results indicate that the involvement of NRIs as foreign directors, financial support from NRIs, and internal financing sources improve the financial performance of small businesses in India. Firms with NRIs are more likely to perform better than without NRIs. Moreover, the influence of NRIs on the financial performance of small businesses is higher in the service industry than the manufacturing industry

Nonstandard employment and nonwork activities, time alone and with others: Can weekend workers make up lost time?

To what extent can weekend workers reschedule nonwork activities or time with significant others to weekdays? From the Australian Bureau of Statistics Time Use Survey 2006, a sample of employed persons aged 15–64 ( n = 3860) is drawn to examine associations between weekend work and time spent in nonwork activities, time spent alone, and time spent in the company of family (partners, children, nonresident family, and elders) and friends, on days worked and over the following week. All analyses examine differences by gender. Workers’ lost weekend time is not recovered over the week; rather, in some instances there are persistent negative effects. Sunday workers are most affected. The findings add to knowledge about work–family conflict and gender differences in managing boundaries between employment and private life. There are implications for workplace policy, as the results offer support for penalty rate payments for weekend work.

Parents' use of information and communications technologies for family communication: differences by age of children

Despite widespread adoption of information and communications technologies (ICTs) by families in the United States, little is known about parents' use of ICTs specifically for family communication. Using a national sample of parents (N = 1322), this study examined parents' use of four widely used ICTs (text message, email, social networking sites, and Skype) to communicate with family including differences in use by child's age. Results show parents' use of various ICTs is dynamic, reflecting developmental differences in the child and relational differences in the family system. Findings revealed that the use of ICTs for parent–child communication increased with child's age, communication with co-parent via text message was more likely among parents of school-aged children, and parents of adolescent children were less likely to use text or email to communicate with non-resident family than parents of school-aged children. Examining how parents are using specific ICTs to communicate with particular family members furthers our understanding of the impact of technology on communication processes occurring within families in today's digital age.

Family Structure, Mother–Daughter Relationship Quality, Race and Ethnicity, and Adolescent Girls' Health Risks

Using a sample of 7,114 adolescent girls (4,269 White, 1,707 African American, and 1,138 Hispanic) and biological mothers from Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined how family structure, girls' perceptions of mother–daughter relationship quality, and race and ethnicity related to girls' health risks. In general, results indicate heightened risk for both precocious events and depressive symptoms for girls in mother–stepfather, single-mother, and nonresident mother families compared to mother–father families. However, significant two- and three-way interactions suggest that adolescent girls' health risks vary considerably based on the combination of family structure, mother–daughter relationship quality, and race and ethnicity.

Mediators of the Relationship Between Stable Nonresident Households and Toddler Outcomes

The present study examined the associations between stable nonresidence among never married parents (compared with coresident parents) and outcomes for toddlers using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey–Birth Cohort. The authors found small to medium negative associations between stable nonresidence and toddlers’ positive social behavior and small negative associations between stable nonresidence and toddlers’ cognition. The associations between stable nonresidence and positive social behavior and cognition were explained by mothers’ supportiveness during interactions with the child. The findings suggest that toddlers in stable nonresident families are at greater risk for lowered school readiness because of diminished quality of maternal interactions with the child. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.