The Social Support Functions of Siblings in Later Life A Theoretical Model: SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS OF PRIMARY RELATIONSHIPS NORMATIVE CONSTRAINTS OF SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS RECIPROCITY AUTONOMY NORMATIVE REGULATION MEDIATORS OF THE PROVISION OF SUPPORTS GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY SOCIAL NETWORK STRUCTURE HEALTH AND FUNCTIONAL STATUS DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE GENDER COMPOSITION OF THE DYAD SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ETHNICITY CONCLUSION

Social support networks of older adults have received much attention lately, as they are viewed as patterns of continuous ties and interchanges of assistance that play a significant role in maintaining the psychological, social, and physical integrity of old people over time (Cantor and Little, 1985). However, most gerontological research has focused on the support functions of a spouse or adult child. This is a rather limited view of the older adult's social support network given that many older adults do not have a living spouse (Watkins et al.,1987), children can often provide only a little support (Cicirelli,1981)...