The Trajectory of Social Relationships among the Old Age Loss-of-only-child Parents
The old age loss-of-only-child parents are a special group impacted by China's family planning policy.The increasing in the numbers and aging of this group are calling for more inputs in relevant social support services.Understanding the dynamic changes in the social relationships of this group will not only contribute to clarify the characteristics of the changes of the social support network of the old age loss-of-only-child parents,but also benefit to formulate a more effective population policy and prevent the risks of sufferings among parents who might lose their only child.This study adopted grounded theory as the main method to collect and analyze data.The research site located at a special unit for old age loss-of-only-child parents of a senior home in a large city.Twenty-one interviews were conducted among old age loss-of-only-child parents.It was found that old age loss-of-only-child parents had developed four main patterns of social relationships,namely contraction-oriented patterns,expansion-oriented patterns,substitution-oriented patterns and balance-oriented patterns.All four patterns showed ways of rebuilding their social relationships after the death of their only child.Some of the patterns may at the risk of instability and vulnerability,which suggests the need to provide more targeted responses and care to this group in policy-making.Government departments and social service organizations will provide more effective services for this group by exercising the perspective of social relationships rebuilding.
old age loss-of-only-child parentssocial relationshipspatterns of social relationships
万方数据
维普
