title: Cohort Differences in Received Social Support in Later Life: The Role of Network Type.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective is to assess cohort differences in received emotional and instrumental support in relation to network types. The main guiding hypothesis is that due to increased salience of non-kin with recent social change, those in friend-focused and diverse network types receive more support in later birth cohorts than earlier birth cohorts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam are employed. We investigate cohort differences in total received emotional and instrumental support in a series of linear regression models comparing birth cohorts aged 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, and 85-94 across three time periods (1992, 2002, and 2012).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four network types (friend, family, restricted, and diverse) are identified. Friend-focused networks are more common in later birth cohorts, restrictive networks less common. Those in friend-focused networks in later cohorts report receiving more emotional and instrumental support. No differences in received support are evident upon diverse networks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased salience of non-kin is reflected in an increase in received emotional and instrumental support in friend-focused networks in later birth cohorts. The preponderance of non-kin in networks should not be perceived as a deficit model for social relationships as restrictive networks are declining across birth cohorts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Suanet
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Toni C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Antonucci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D003710:Demography; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009826:Old Age Assistance / Q000458:organization & administration; D012307:Risk Factors; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Cohort analysis; Social change; Social networks; Social support