Supporting and caring for each other are crucial parts of the social tissue that binds people together. In these networks, men and women hold different positions: Women more often care more for others, listen more to the problems of others, and, as kin keepers, hold families together. Is this true for all life stages? And are social conditions,…

The article focuses on findings that were replicated across several countries and considers their relevance for future older adults. Key findings are that (a) childlessness makes more of a difference in men's than in women's lives, (b) never-married women are a childless category with particularly favorable characteristics, and (c) childless…

Compared the networks of 37 single and 43 married mothers. Single mothers received more instrumental and personal support than married mothers, although their networks did not differ subtantially in structure. Single mothers receiving the highest levels of support were employed full-time and had few children. (Author/BH)

Finds a significant relationship between characteristics of mothers' social networks and those of their children in a sample of 72 Swedish mothers and children. Nature and strength of relationships varied with mothers' marital status and children's gender. Networks of married mothers and daughters were most similar; networks of single mothers and…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that compared family needs and sources of support perceived by 55 Puerto Rican mothers of young children (ages birth to 5 years) with disabilities residing in Puerto Rico and 39 of their Puerto Rican counterparts living in Florida. The relationship among perceived family needs, sources of support, and…