Aging & Social Change: Ninth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

The object of the study is to observe emerging intergenerational family solidarity (IFS) profiles in a sample of Spanish older parents. Most of the available literature pursued comparative goals, observing single elements of IFS, or combinations of them, focussing on single countries or adopting an international comparative perspective. Nonetheless, few studies have specifically focussed the topic with respect to Spain. A quota-sample (N = 608) reproducing the characteristics of Spanish 65-74 years old population with living children was designed. Standardised CAPI interviews were conducted at the end of 2016 using a questionnaire covering various themes related with IFS. The questionnaire was designed according with literature and, but also by introducing new variables specifically designed for investigating IFS. A k-means cluster analysis examined the relations between family structures, IFS dimensions and social capital. The variables included in the model demonstrated to be significant (alpha value of 0.685) for the identification of three groups of respondents, and the more explanatory ones are three variables related to primary social capital dimensions (confidence, support and collaboration), the variable related to satisfaction for the family and the one related to support given to children. The three groups represent distinct modalities through which IFS is lived among older parents in Spain, that is: those living in couple with low levels of functional solidarity; those living in couple with high levels of functional solidarity; and those living lonely – the most fragile group of the older population – with low levels of functional solidarity.