DOI: 10.3886/icpsr09254.v1
title: Social Networks in Adult Life, 1980: [United States]
title: Version 1

description: These data were gathered to provide information on Kahn and Antonucci's life-span developmental model, "convoys of social support," which explores interpersonal relationships over time. Older adults (aged 50+) were interviewed on their health status, labor force status, and other demographic characteristics, and on the composition and degree of closeness of members of their current support network (e.g., spouses, children, friends). Three concentric circles of closeness were defined, varying in terms of transcendence of the relationship beyond role requirements, stability over the life span, and exchange of many different types of support (confiding, reassurance, respect, care when ill, discussion when upset, and talk about health). The principal respondents named a total of 6,341 network members, ranging in age from 18 to 96 years. Detailed structural and functional characteristics were collected from the principal respondents on the first ten named members of each support network. Similar interviews were then conducted with one to three network members of those 259 principal respondents who were 70+ years old. Two data files are provided: Part 1 contains merged data from the interviews of both the principal respondents aged 70+ and their network members, and Part 2 contains data from the principal respondents aged 50+.
description: Multistage national probability sample of households with at least one member aged 50 years or older and an oversampling of all household members aged 70 years or older. Additionally, up to three network members were interviewed for each of the respondents aged 70+ (as well as one child and one grandchild if not already named), for a total of 497 network members. There was some overlap between principal respondents and network members: 102 network members were also principal respondents, and 40 were named by more than one principal respondent.
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS2: Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS3: SAS Proc Format Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS4: SAS Input Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS5: SAS Format Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS6: SAS Label Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS7: SAS Missing Value Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS8: SPSS Data List Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS9: SPSS Variable Label Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS10: SPSS Value Label Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS11: SPSS Missing Value Statements for Principals, Aged 70+/Network Data DS12: SAS Proc Format Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS13: SAS Input Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS14: SAS Format Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS15: SAS Label Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS16: SAS Missing Value Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS17: SPSS Data List Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS18: SPSS Variable Label Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS19: SPSS Value Label Statements for Principals, Aged 50+ Data DS20: SPSS Missing Value Statements for Principals, Aged 50 Data
description: Persons 50 years and older in households of the United States.
description: The age distribution of the 718 principal respondents was 50-64 years (N = 333), 65-74 years (N = 227), and 75-95 years (N = 158).