ABSTRACTEFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS ON THE HEALTH OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS IN LATER LIFE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDYByLihua HuangThe purpose of this study was to better understand the social value of family caregiving in later life by examining the effects of social networks and family caregiving on the health of older adults aged 65 and over. Based on positive gerontology, the study asked the overarching research question: "Are there significant mean differences in health for different levels of social networks and for different family caregiving status after controlling for demographic factors?" In this study, the independent variables were three-dimensional social networks and family caregiving status. The dependent variables were levels of self-rated health, physical function, absence of chronic diseases, and mental health. This was a cross-sectional, explanatory survey study. It drew a probability sample from a regional representative population of older adults aged 64 and above in three Michigan communities. The survey resulted in a response rate of 36.6% and a final sample of 358 community-dwelling older adults: 136 were caregivers, and 222 were non-caregivers. The questionnaire contained a total of 58 quantitative measures and two open-ended questions. Five standardized measures used in the study had high internal consistency. They were Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale, Lubben Social Networks Scale, Berkman-Syme Social Networks Index, Life Events Survey, Instrumental Activities of Daily Livings, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Multiple data collection and data analysis methods were used to enhance the validity of the results. Between-methods triangulation primarily included a survey instrument that integrated open-ended questions and a consequent combination of descriptive statistics and content analysis. Within-methods triangulation included multiple scales used for the social networks construct as well as the health construct. Multivariate Analysis of Variance and Covariance were performed. Results indicated significant mean differences in the health for social networks and family caregiving independently. Specifically, high levels of functional social networks significantly predicted better self-rated health and higher physical function. The study also found that family caregiving significantly affected the health of the older family caregivers. Results highlighted that being family caregivers in later life significantly predicted lower levels of physical function and mental health, but social networks positively affected well-being of family caregivers in later life. The nature of cross-sectional study and a regional representative sample limited generalizability of the results to populations beyond the study population. However, several implications were identified regarding methodology, research, and practice. The results suggested the functional dimension was the most important factor in social network analysis, but there was not similar prior research to which a comparison could be made. More inquiry is needed to assess conceptualization and measurement of social networks in social work and gerontology. Although the study made efforts to combine quantitative and qualitative methods, two open-ended questions were not adequate to fully understand the social networks of older family caregivers. More research is needed to collect social network-specific qualitative data to obtain in-depth understandings regarding health effects of social networks among older family caregivers.
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