Is the Household-Based Convoy a Role-Related Support Network?

Abstract

Based on role theory, a household-based convoy (HbC) was proposed as a support system comprised of four kinds of networks: household types, family, kinship, and friendship. To test the feasibility of the support network concept, data from the 2001 Taiwan Social Change Survey were used to derive a latent structure with four latent classes. These classes consisted of the “prefamily convoy,” “pro-social convoy,” “mature convoy,” and the “extended convoy.” Their network characteristics revealed that the four latent classes corresponded to stages in the family life course. Moreover, these convoy subtypes had differential intergenerational support functions. Respondents from the pre-family and the pro-social convoys were found to provide fewer types of support to their parents but received more types of support from them. The findings also indicate that the household-based convoy is a role-related support network.