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Patterns of Social Support in the Middle Childhood to Early Adolescent Transition: Implications for Adjustment
Author(s) -
Levitt Mary J.,
Levitt Jerome,
Bustos Gastón L.,
Crooks Noel A.,
Santos Jennifer D.,
Telan Paige,
Hodgetts Jennifer,
Milevsky Avidan
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
social development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.078
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1467-9507
pISSN - 0961-205X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2005.00308.x
Subject(s) - typology , psychology , social support , developmental psychology , cluster (spacecraft) , ethnically diverse , family support , social psychology , ethnic group , medicine , geography , archaeology , sociology , computer science , anthropology , programming language , physical therapy
Children's social networks often include close family members, extended family members, and friends, but little is known about interindividual differences in the patterning of support from these sources. In this study, we used person‐oriented analyses to differentiate patterns of support for children undergoing the transition to adolescence. Social network and adjustment data were collected for an ethnically diverse sample of 691 fourth‐ and sixth‐grade children, with a two‐year follow‐up. Cluster analyses identified one pattern of support from both close family members and friends, a second pattern of support from both close and extended family members, and a third pattern of support primarily from close family members alone. Participants receiving support from close family in combination with either extended family or friends were better adjusted than were those without multiple support resources. The results suggest that a meaningful typology of children's social networks can be developed.