Sourcebook of Living Arrangements and Social Networks of Older Adults in the Netherlands Questionnaire and Data Documentation of the NESTOR-program, Main Study 1992 and Network Study 1992-1995 Theo van Tilburg Pearl Dykstra Aart C. Liefbroer Marjolein Broese van Groenou Sourcebook of living arrangements and social networks of older adults in the Netherlands Questionnaire and data documentation of the NESTOR- program, Main Study 1992 and Network Study 1992-1995 Theo van Tilburg Pearl Dykstra Aart C. Liefbroer Marjolein Broese van Groenou Departments of Netherlands Sociology & Social Gerontology Interdisciplinary and Demographic Social Research Methodology, Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Hague 2 Living arrangements and social networks Acknowledgements The data were collected in the context of the research program "Living arrangements and social networks of older adults". This research program is conducted at the departments of Sociology & Social Gerontology and Social Research Methodology of the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, and the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute in The Hague. The research is supported by a program grant from the Netherlands Program for Research on Ageing (NESTOR), funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences and the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sports. The Network Study was made possible by a fellowship from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (K.N.A.W.), awarded to the first author. Copyrights All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the management of the NESTOR-LSN- program. Address dr. T.G. van Tilburg Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Social Gerontology, Faculty of Social Sciences De Boelelaan 1081c 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands e-mail [email protected] phone +31 - 20 444 6870 +31 - 20 444 6804 (general number of the Department) +31 - 20 444 7777 (general number of the Vrije Universiteit) fax +31 - 20 444 6810 (Department) Living arrangements and social networks 3 Table of contents Preface 5 Summary of the research program 7 Part A: Main Study (1992) Sample and data collection 15 Overview of the questionnaire of the face-to-face interview 30 Introduction to the structure of the data files 34 Overview of data files 43 Questionnaire and variables 49 Appendices Example of a programmed questionnaire 246 List of variables 255 List of SPSS data files 270 Part G, H, I: Network Study (1992-1995) Introduction 273 Sample and data collection 277 Overview of data files 284 Questionnaire and variables 290 Appendices Example of a programmed questionnaire 337 List of variables 348 List of SPSS data files 353 References 354 4 Living arrangements and social networks Living arrangements and social networks 5 Preface This sourcebook contains the documentation of the data of the Main Study and of the Network Study of the NESTOR-program Living arrangements and social networks of older adults, as it stands March 12, 2003. Errata will be listed in the forthcoming documentations of the data of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. A large number of people have made great efforts during the process of collecting the data of the Main Study. Kees Knipscheer, Jenny Gierveld, Theo van Tilburg, Pearl Dykstra, Aat Lief- broer, Marjolein Broese van Groenou and Edith de Leeuw were responsible for the content of (sections of) the questionnaire. Theo van Tilburg and Aat Liefbroer programmed the questionnaire. Marius de Pijper was very helpful with the programming of the questionnaire and of the management program on the computers. During the interviewing, Edith de Leeuw (Amsterdam), Fleur Thomése (Wormerland and Waterland), Aat Liefbroer (Zwolle and surroundings), and Pearl Dykstra (Oss and surroundings) supervised the interviewers, coordinated by Marjolein Broese van Groenou. Mik van der Klundert and Inke Wisse, assisted by Yolande Brands, Jan Poppelaars, Cornelie Peeck, Pien van der Kooi and Jutte Koekebakker, managed the contacts with respondents and interviewers. The interviewers were M. Abeling, M.F. Baar, A.H. Barf-Smid, J.M.P. Bijnen-Willems, M.N.A. Blanc, S.C.G. Blijendaal, H.E.T. Bloemenkamp, J.D. de Boer, A. de Boer, G. Brakel-Schotkamp, E. Breebaart, T.C. Buddingh, H.G.A. Bulk, A.W. Craje, A. Dalvoorde, C. Danje ter Horst, W. Deenik, A.J. van Dijk-Zwart, M.E. Feddema, S. de Gans, R. de Gruyter, H.M. de Haan-Remkes, M.J.H. Hagedoorn-Viskaal, J.C. Haveman, I.J.W. van Heeswijk, J. Hofland, F.K. Hoogendorp-van Aalderen, J.H.C.V. Jilesen, M.G. de Jonge-den Hartog, J.B.M. de Jonge-Winkelman, Y.W. van Klingeren, D. Knoop, L.M. Koldewee, H.A. de Koning, B.P.L.M. van der Kroft, F.F. Lamkamp, J. Langendijk-Oliemeulen, J. de Leeuwe, C. Leeuwin, B. Maes, J.M.G. Majoor-van den Bergh, G. Makkinga, N.A. Manhave, E.M. Manuel, M.R. Mastenbroek-Guichelaar, A.P. van der Meiden-Mooij, E. Meulenbroek, A.H. Michielse, W.F.M van Mourik, R. van der Mueren, W.H. Muns-Winkelaar, I. Nyklicek, H.K. Paassen, F. Pearson, E. Pijfers, P.J.A. Pijpers, M.S. Pinas, M.G.G. Rebel-de Gier, P. Rensen, E.C. van Riel, E.G. van Roest, A.W.A.M. de Ruijter-van Zuijlen, H.A. Schaap, A. Schaapman-Harsevoord, J.M. van Schadewijk-Eykemans, M.J. Smit-Molenaar, D. Snijders-Schreurs, A.F. Staarman, P.E.A.M. Steeman, A.A.M. van der Steen, A.M. Sterk-Schat, J.L. Swagerman-Beekman, G.H. Timmerman-van Elburg, G. Uffels-de Olde, J.M. Velthoven, A.R.J. Visser-Albers, M. Vonk, K. de Vos, J.H.M. Walboomers, J.A. van Wees, P.H.R.M. Westebring, J.M.V. Wierdsma, J.C. Wijnen-Naaktgeboren, M.A. Wijnschenk, J.A.C. Zijlstra, and E.M. Zonjee. The data were stored by Theo van Tilburg and Aat Liefbroer. Theo van Tilburg and Jan Poppelaars managed the data collection for the Network Study. They were assisted by Conny Veltman. The editors Amsterdam / The Hague, March 12, 2003 6 Living arrangements and social networks Living arrangements and social networks 7 Summary of the research program The research program "Living arrangements and social networks of older adults" (Leefvormen en sociale netwerken van ouderen) (Knipscheer et al., 1990) has been developed on request of the Netherlands Program for Research on Aging (Nederlands Stimuleringsprogramma Ouderen- onderzoek; NESTOR) steering committee. The aim of this committee, which was installed by the Ministry of Welfare, Health and Cultural Affairs and by the Ministry of Education and Science, is to develop a national plan for research on aging, and to supervise and guide the execution of this plan. The aim of NESTOR is to strengthen the position of aging research in the Netherlands by stressing the improvement of the scientific infrastructure and the stimulation of international collaboration. "Living arrangements and social networks of older adults" is one of the topics selected by the NESTOR steering committee as part of their national plan for research on aging. Previous research carried out at three scientific institutes, namely, the Department of Sociology and Social Gerontology at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, the Department of Social Research Methodology at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, and the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) in The Hague, provided the expertise required for the topic. Objective The objectives of the program are the following. First, it aims to provide insight into the determinants of living arrangements of older adults, their kin and non-kin networks. Second, it aims to provide insight into the outcomes of living arrangements of older adults, and their kin and non-kin networks in terms of the availability of the social support essential for daily functioning, for coping with problems associated with life events, and for maintaining well- being. The third objective is to use these insights to separate the assumptions essential to the constructing of models predicting future trends in living arrangements and networks from the assumptions which are not. The perspective adopted in the research program is one which emphasizes the autonomy of older adults, i.e. their ability to manage on their own. However, contrary to many of the studies into the conditions underlying their ability to manage alone, which tend to emphasize individual characteristics, such as the level of cognitive performance or health status, this program centers on characteristics of the social matrix in which older adults are embedded. In other words, the focus is on the importance of the personal relationships for daily functioning, for coping with life events and for maintaining well-being. More specifically the focus is on living arrangements of older adults and their social networks. The desire to move beyond an exclusive focus on individual characteristics is not the only reason for focusing on relationships of older persons. Another consideration is that it is particularly in personal relationships that the impact of broader changes in society is reflected. The economic, demographic and cultural changes of recent decades have led to changes in relationships available to people and/or in the conditions providing opportunities for social interaction. It is unclear what the implications are for the individual older adult. How do older persons deal with the changing conditions of personal relationships and how will they deal with these changes in the future? It should be pointed out that relationships of older adults are also subject to changes associated with the aging process itself. For this reason, the (possible) implications of changes in personal relationships which are associated with changes in society must be considered in relation with life course changes in personal relationships.