Extended family relationships among older African American, Black Caribbean, and White Adults

Abstract Objectives This article examines a conceptual model of receiving and providing social support among older African Americans, Black Caribbean, and non‐Latino Whites. Background Supportive exchanges are an important aspect of family relationships. This is especially true among older adults. Despite their importance, the mechanisms of extended family support are largely neglected in the research literature. Method The analysis is based on the older African American, Black Caribbean, and non‐Latino White subsample of the 2001–2003 National Survey of American Life ( n = 1,439). Multiple group structural equation modeling in Mplus was conducted to test direct and indirect effects of demographic and familial support variables on the receiving and providing social support with extended family members. Results We found that people who are emotionally close to their family invested more time in their family relationships, resulting in more frequent social interactions with family members. These frequent social interactions strengthen family ties and contribute to more frequent giving and providing support. Our analysis also indicated that these relationships were consistent across the three race/ethnicity populations, except for some differences among older Black Caribbeans. Conclusion Our findings support the family solidarity model. This work provides important information concerning how familial involvement is associated with extended family social support networks. Our analysis also shows the importance of examining ethnic differences within the Black American population. Implications It is important for practitioners to recognize that although African Americans and Black Caribbeans have many similarities, there are also important differences that are consequential for family support.