Stability and change in social negativity in later life: reducing received while maintaining initiated negativity.
OBJECTIVE
This article examines stability and change in social negativity and the links between social negativity and instrumental support over time among disabled older adults. The analyses focused on family relationships because social negativity tends to be more prevalent in family compared with nonkin relationships. Social negativity received and initiated are each addressed separately to determine whether or not they show similar patterns and links to instrumental support over time.


METHODS
Latent growth curve methodology was used to examine change over time in social negativity and instrumental family support in relation to age, gender, and family network size at baseline. Participants, 570 older adults with chronic visual impairment, were interviewed three times over an 18-month period.


RESULTS
Social negativity received showed a decrease over time, whereas levels of social negativity initiated remained more stable. Links with instrumental support were positive but stronger for received compared with initiated social negativity.


CONCLUSIONS
The differential pattern of stability and change over time in received versus initiated social negativity and their links to instrumental support suggest different origins for the initiation versus receipt of social negativity.
Lighthouse International, 111 E. 59 St., New York, NY 10022, USA. kboerner@lighthouse.org
Kathrin
K
Boerner
Joann P
JP
Reinhardt
Tenko
T
Raykov
Amy
A
Horowitz
D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009341:Negativism; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support