title: [Social integration and life satisfaction of childless women and men in mid- and late-life].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adult children are important members of the social network of older persons. Children are particularly important in facilitating the social integration of the aged. Against this backdrop, this paper explores possible effects of childlessness on the social integration and life satisfaction of middle and older aged women and men.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data used in this study are drawn from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), an annual survey of private households in Germany. The analysis is restricted to respondents aged between 45 and 84 who live in a marital or nonmarital partnership. Multivariate models are used to examine the effect of childlessness on contacts with relatives and friends, civic, political, and religious participation, as well as life and family satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cohabiting childless women and men in mid- and late life are only slightly less socially integrated than parents living in a partnership. Compared to parents, childless elders have fewer social contacts. However, childless men and women do not differ from empty nest parents in their civic, political and religious participation. Moreover, childless elders do not have a lower level of life satisfaction than mothers and fathers. Quite the contrary, childless men und women are happier than parents who coreside with their adult children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results presented here revise the common assumption that childlessness negatively affects the social integration and life satisfaction of middle- and older-aged persons.
authors: Fakultät für Soziologie, Universität Bielefeld, Postfach 100131, 33501 Bielefeld. mpollmann-schult@uni-bielefeld.de
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pollmann-Schult
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D043762:Reproductive Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012932:Social Facilitation; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*