Turning to family, friends, or others: A model of social network usage during stressful events

In this study, we describe and partially explain patterns of network participation among family, friends, and others by focusing on social network usage during periods of stress. Using a national sample of adults (the National Opinion Research Center's General Social Surveys), we describe patterns of whom individuals would turn to for assistance during a range of hypothetical events, using first and second mentions of responses to six hypothetical stressful events. A simple recursive structural equations model of social network usage during times of need is specified, linking social background, network propinquity, and contact with network members to these three endogenous network bond strength indexes. The results show that neither propinquity nor contact with friends or family shape the (latent) use of family or family networks as much as does a single demographic characteristic, current marital status. Thus, although propinquity does largely shape contact frequency, the bonds of a current marital arrangement seem to supersede these factors during times of social stress. Other researchers have found that gender and size of community play a key role in modifying how other factors affect network usage, but these results based a national sample of adults show that generalizations for gender must be more carefully scrutinized. The results for place of residence clearly suggest that social network usage among rural Americans may well differ substantially from that among urban Americans, especially in how propinquity factors into the equation.