Income inequality in later years: occupational trajectories or initial social characteristics?

This study focuses on the constitution of financial reserves in Switzerland from a longitudinal perspective. Personal income after retirement derives from financial reserves whose constitution depends both on positional factors, such as sex and birth cohorts, and processual factors, such as occupational trajectories, in the institutional context of the Swiss pension system (structural factors). We hypothesise that some processual, positional and structural factors interact with each other to shape financial reserves available in old age. We assess this set of factors and their interactions using the occupational trajectory types stemming from optimal matching analysis (OMA) combined with the hierarchical clustering and regression tree methods. We used the retrospective biographic data SHARELIFE gathered during the third wave of the SHARE survey in 2009. The results show that occupational trajectories are influential factors accounting for much of the financial reserves available in later life. However, these processual factors interact with positional factors such as sex and birth cohort. The retirement schemes generalised in Switzerland during the period under consideration add up to the effect of positional factors on the constitution of financial reserves.

Modelling ambivalent triads in family research.

This research focuses on ambivalence in family networks and presents a framework for investigating how triadic configurations, beyond specific dyads, may affect individual outcomes such as well-being. First, the paper introduces the ambivalent triad census, counting the frequencies of 18 non-isomorphic triads in which ties can be positive, negative, or ambivalent, in non-directed networks, and proposes the linear combinations of three theoretical mechanisms (ambivalent balance, diffusion of stress, divide and conquer) predicting how embeddedness in an ambivalent triad may affect individual well-being. Second, the ambivalent triad census is applied to 300 non-directed family networks, 150 stepfamilies and 150 first-time families, in which mothers reported about the relationships with and between family members. Results show that mothers embedded in triads exhibiting more ambivalent balance and less diffusion of stress score higher on social self-esteem. The study emphasizes the importance of studying ambivalence in higher-level relational structures, such as triads, in families.

Interactional Effects Between Relational and Cognitive Reserves on Decline in Executive Functioning.

OBJECTIVES: The present study set out to investigate associations of cognitive reserve (as indicated by education) and relational reserve (as indicated by the family network size and indices of emotional support) to decline in executive functioning over 6 years as measured by changes in Trail Making Test (TMT) completion time in older adults and whether education and network size interacted with age and sex as covariates with respect to this longitudinal association. METHOD: We analyzed data from 897 participants tested on TMT parts A and B in two waves 6 years apart. The mean age in the first wave was 74.33 years. Participants reported information on their family networks and their level of education. RESULTS: Latent change score modeling testing for moderation effects revealed a significant interaction of network size in the first wave of data assessment with education. Specifically, for lower levels of cognitive reserve (-1 SD of education), the longitudinal association between relational reserve in the first wave and subsequent changes in executive functioning was not significant. In contrast, for higher levels of cognitive reserve (+1 SD of education), a higher relational reserve in the first wave significantly predicted a smaller subsequent increase in TMT completion time from the first to the second wave (i.e., a smaller decline in executive functioning). DISCUSSION: The present longitudinal study provides evidence for the interaction between cognitive and relational reserves. This confirms the hypothesis that reserves from different domains are intertwined and their combined effects contribute to less cognitive decline in old age.

Joint social contact and network overlap of spouses facing later adulthood household transitions in Switzerland.

Personal network overlap and joint social contact of spouses have positive implications for social support and marital quality. Although these collective aspects of marriage constitute a valuable resource for couples, the factors impacting them during the later stages of life are underexplored. When faced with critical role losses in later life one compensatory mechanism for internal continuity is to jointly invest in relational dimensions of one's marriage. Accordingly, this research hypothesizes that some later adulthood transitions lead to greater overlap in conjugal networks and more joint contact between partners. Using two waves of data from a nationally representative sample of Swiss couples, it was found that both transitions of children leaving the household and retirement were related to increases in personal network overlap and shared social contact between partners but differently for male and female partners. Results are discussed in the light of mechanisms promoted by continuity theory.

The role of adult socioeconomic and relational reserves regarding the effect of childhood misfortune on late-life depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Childhood misfortune is associated with late-life depressive symptoms, but it remains an open question whether adult socioeconomic and relational reserves could reduce the association between childhood misfortune and late-life depressive symptoms. METHODS: Using the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), data from 8'357 individuals (35'260 observations) aged 50-96 years and living in 11 European countries were used to examine associations between three indicators of childhood misfortune (adverse childhood events, poor childhood health, and childhood socioeconomic circumstances) and late-life depressive symptoms. Subsequently, we tested whether these associations were mediated by education, occupational position, the ability to make ends meet, and potential or perceived relational reserves; that is family members or significant others who can provide help in case of need, respectively. Analyses were stratified by gender and adjusted for confounding and control variables. RESULTS: Adult socioeconomic reserves partly mediated the associations between adverse childhood events, poor childhood health and late-life depressive symptoms. The associations with the third indicator of childhood misfortune (childhood socioeconomic circumstances) were fully mediated by adult socioeconomic reserves in men, and partly mediated in women. None of the associations were mediated by relational reserves. However, perceived relational reserves were associated with fewer late-life depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage can be mitigated more easily over the life course than adverse childhood events and poor childhood health, especially in men. Perceived relational reserves work primarily as a protective force against late-life depressive symptoms and may be particularly important in the context of the cumulative effect of childhood adversities.

Mother-Stepfather Coparenting in Stepfamilies as Predictor of Child Adjustment.

Coparenting between biological parents is a strong predictor of child adjustment. To date, however, little is known about the coparenting dynamics between parent and stepparent in stepfamilies. This study aimed at exploring the links between coparenting in the mother-stepfather dyad and child behavior in stepfamilies compared with the links between mother-father coparenting and child behavior in first-marriage families. Two modes of coparenting were assessed: overt coparenting, that is, coparental behaviors in the presence of the child, and covert coparenting, that is, the way each parent speaks of the other parent to the child. The sample (N = 80) comprised 48 stepfamilies and 32 first-marriage families with a child between 7 and 13 years old. Overt coparenting was assessed through direct observation in the standardized situation of the PicNic Game. Covert coparenting and child behavior were assessed through mother-reported questionnaires. Results showed (a) more covert coparenting behaviors in first-marriage families, (b) no differences in overt coparenting, (c) more child difficulties reported in stepfamilies, (d) less optimal overt coparenting being linked with more difficulties in children in both family structures, and (e) an interaction effect between family structure and coparenting, showing that overt coparenting is linked with child behavior mainly in stepfamilies.

La cocrianza entre padres biológicos es una buena predictora de la adaptación del niño. Sin embargo, hasta la fecha, se sabe muy poco acerca de la dinámica de cocrianza entre padre/madre y padrastro/madrastra en las familias ensambladas. La finalidad de este estudio fue analizar las relaciones entre la cocrianza en la díada madre-padrastro y comportamiento del niño en familias ensambladas comparadas con las relaciones entre la cocrianza de la madre y el padre y el comportamiento del niño en familias formadas por un matrimonio en primeras nupcias. Se evaluaron dos formas de cocrianza: la cocrianza abierta, es decir, los comportamientos coparentales en presencia del niño, y la cocrianza encubierta, es decir, la manera en la que cada padre habla del otro padre al niño. La muestra (N = 80) constituyó 48 familias ensambladas y 32 familias de matrimonios en primeras nupcias con un niño de entre 7 y 13 años. La cocrianza abierta se evaluó mediante la observación directa en la situación estandarizada del juego del picnic. La cocrianza encubierta y el comportamiento del niño se evaluaron mediante cuestionarios informados por la madre. Los resultados demostraron (a) más comportamientos de cocrianza encubierta en las familias formadas por matrimonios en primeras nupcias, (b) ninguna difrencia en la cocrianza abierta, (c) más dificultades de los niños informadas en las familias ensambladas, (d) menos cocrianza abierta óptima ligada a más dificultades en los niños en ambas estructuras familiares, y (e) un efecto de interacción entre la estructura familiar y la cocrianza, lo cual demuestra que la cocrianza abierta está asociada con el comportamiento del niño principalmente en las familias ensambladas.

Conflict Structures in Family Networks of Older Adults and Their Relationship With Health-Related Quality of Life.

This study explores the interrelationships between health-related quality of life and conflict structures in family networks of older adults. Data were derived from a sample of 2,858 elders (aged 65 years and older) from the Vivre/Leben/Vivere study, a large survey addressing family life and health conditions of older people in Switzerland. Conflict density in family networks and the betweenness centrality of respondents in family conflict are significantly associated with health-related quality of life measures. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that conflict-health associations are mediated by the level of perceived individual stress where psychological health is concerned. Family conflict structures depend to a large extent on family composition and age. This study stresses the importance of older adults actively shaping the composition of their family contexts in ways that promote both conflict and stress avoidance.

Development of reserves over the life course and onset of vulnerability in later life.

This Review develops a theoretical framework for the development and onset of vulnerability in later life based on the concept of reserves. We stress the advantages of using the concept of reserves in interdisciplinary life-course studies, compared with related concepts such as resources and capital. We enrich the definition of vulnerability as a lack of reserves and a reduced capacity of an individual to restore reserves. Two dimensions of reserves, originating from lifespan psychology and gerontology, are of particular importance: their constitution and sustainability by behaviours and interaction with the environment (the 'use it or lose it' paradigm) and the presence of thresholds, below which functioning becomes highly challenging. This heuristic approach reveals the potential for a conceptualization of reserves and is exemplified in an empirical illustration. Further interdisciplinary research based on the concept is needed.

[Neurobiological, psychological and sociological approach to sexual desire and sexual satisfaction]. / Une approche neurobiologique, psychologique et sociologique du désir sexuel et de la satisfaction sexuelle.

In the last years, University Fund Maurice Chalumeau (FUMC) launched a dynamic of research designed to promote scientific excellence and the development of Sexology with particular interest regarding sexual desire. The FUMC has supported a research project entitled "Neurobiological, psychological and sociological approach to sexual desire and sexual satisfaction". This project, sampled on 600 people (300 men and 300 women) aged between 25 and 46 years, was structured around three studies: a broad sociological study and two more specific ones, focused on some psychological mechanisms and neurobiological factors involved in sexual desire. The results show how the secondary socialization, personal expectations, beliefs and values in sexuality, sexual motivations, body image, as well as the neurobiological foundations and visual patterns, are of vital importance in the dynamics of sexual desire.

Family beyond parents? An exploration of family configurations and psychological adjustment in young adults with intellectual disabilities.

This research explores the family configurations of young adults with intellectual disability. Based on a sample of 40 individuals interviewed two times in a year, we found as many as four types of family configurations, with distinct compositions, and different types of social capital. This diversity is not without consequences for individual psychological adjustment. The results are discussed in the light of the configurational approach to families.

Pluralized life courses? An exploration of the life trajectories of individuals with psychiatric disorders.

BACKGROUND: Most of the existing research relating to the life courses of people with psychiatric symptoms focuses on the occurrence and the impact of non-normative events on the onsets of crises; it usually disregards the more regular dimensions of life, such as work, family and intimate partnerships that may be related to the timing and seriousness of psychiatric problems. An additional reason for empirically addressing life trajectories of individuals with psychiatric problems relates to recent changes of family and occupational trajectories in relation to societal trends such as individualization and pluralization of life courses. AIM: This paper explores the life trajectories of 86 individuals under clinical supervision and proposes a typology of their occupational, co-residence and intimacy trajectories. The results are discussed in light of the life-course paradigm. METHOD: A multidimensional optimal matching analysis was performed on a sample of 86 individuals under clinical supervision to create a typology of trajectories. The influence of these trajectories on psychiatric disorders, evaluated using a SCL-90-R questionnaire, was then assessed using linear regression modelling. RESULTS: The typologies of trajectories showed that the patients developed a diversity of life trajectories. Individuals who have developed a standard life course with few institutionalization periods reported more symptoms and distress than individuals with an institutionalized life trajectory. CONCLUSION: The results of this study stress that psychiatric patients are social actors who are influenced by society at large and its ongoing process of change. Therefore, it is essential to take into account the diversity of occupational and family trajectories when dealing with individuals in therapeutic settings.