Leader: Elena Pirani - UNIFI; Other collaborator(s):
Social relationships and resources available from kin affect older people’s well-being. Our research addresses knowledge gaps in this area by examining the populations of single, vertical ((grand)childless) and horizontal (only children) kinless older adults. First, we will quantify the phenomena of kinlessness at different stages of the life course. Second, we will forecast the prevalence of different types of kinlesness patterns, focusing in particular on the number of Italians who are likely to reach different ages with and without a partner, children, grandchildren and siblings. We will investigate gender and socioeconomic differences in the likelihood of experiencing kinlessness and the health characteristics of these groups.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The task intended to measure and describe the types and strengths of kinship ties for older European individuals, overcoming existing shortcomings of the existing knowledge. Using wave 8 from SHARE collected in 2019-2020, for 26 European countries plus Israel, and focusing on individuals aged 65 and over, we have explored the (un)availability of five close kinship ties – partners, children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings – by estimating both the proportion of individuals lacking each type of kin separately and the proportion of different combinations of kinlessness. We produced kinless estimates for the old population overall, but also by age, gender and education.
We found that the prevalence of older individuals without a partner ranges from approximately 30% to over 50%, whereas childlessness fluctuates from under 5 to over 15%. When considering grand-childlessness, country variations are even larger, ranging from about 8 to 30%. The availability of parents is almost everywhere limited, and we found significant variability in the prevalence of lacking siblings, from less than 10 to almost 50%.
According to our most restrictive measure of kinlessness, K4 (absence of a partner, children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings), in some countries, only one out of 1,000 individuals aged 65 and over lacks all five types of kin considered, while in others the proportion raises to 41 per 1,000 individuals. Due to complex socio-demographic dynamics, the relative positions of countries in terms of the absence of specific kin vary, the variability in lacking specific kin and kinlessness being a reflection of the intricate interplay of multifaceted cultural, historical, and demographic factors in diverse societal settings.
The description of kinlessness patterns becomes even more complex when considering within-country differences depending on age, sex, and education – namely the most relevant dimensions in influencing demographic trends and, in turn, kinlessness.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The variations we documented in kinlessness across countries are not merely a numerical curiosity. Rather, they suggest that across Europe, we observe the emergence of substantial subgroups lacking the customary close family ties responsible for providing support to older people. This shift has significant ramifications, impacting the demand for institutionalized care, pension systems, and the overall welfare of older individuals. Although non-kin can have an important role in influencing the well-being of older kinless individuals, kin play a pivotal role in the overall well-being of older individuals, serving as the primary providers of emotional and instrumental support, companionship, and social control over health behaviors.
With the world's population aging at an unprecedented rate, understanding and addressing kinlessness is of paramount importance. The challenges implied by substantial and increasing kinlessness are exacerbated by the fact that not all individuals who do have kin can count on them for several reasons, including loss of contact, geographical distance, unwillingness, or inability of kin to provide support. Our study emphasizes that kinlessness is a multifaceted and multifactorial phenomenon. Variability in kinlessness prevalence cannot be attributed to a single factor but rather results from an intricate interplay of cultural, historical, demographic, and policy-related factors.
Policymakers and researchers need to acknowledge that a one-size-fits-all approach to understanding kinlessness is inadequate, as demonstrated by the cross-national differences in the level of kinlessness, the existence of within-country heterogeneity and the specific sub-groups that are at highest risk of lacking kin.
Data Analysis: Analysis of secondary data is currently in progress. Specifically, in this phase of the analysis, we are focusing on Italy to investigate kinlessness and kinship networks across the life course. We rely on the surveys Families and Social Subjects (FSS) carried out by Istat at four different time points (1998, 2003, 2009, 2016). Through this data, we are able to estimate the size of kinship networks and the prevalence of kinlessness over a 20-year period, revealing the trajectories and providing a nuanced perspective on how these patterns unfold over time and at different ages. Results show that a large share of Italians can still count on a rather diversified network of close kin during all their life (especially parents, siblings, and grandparents at younger ages; partner and children in young adulthood; children and grandchildren, but also siblings in later life). As expected, some frailty appears at older ages, especially for women. These proportions have changed in the last 20 years, although differently by age. The analyses of kinship networks have been integrated also considering the availability of friends and relatives. Although research to unravel the multifaceted interdependencies between family structures and non-family social support is still needed, preliminary findings show that when kinship networks are absent, people are able to activate friendship networks on which they rely.
Scientific Publications: Writing of scientific articles is either completed or ongoing (refer to the publications section).
Dissemination Activities: Dissemination efforts have already begun and are ongoing.
Data Analysis: At this stage of the research, the team is focusing on the analysis of the prevalence of different kinship networks, the prevalence of kinlessness, and the dynamics of friendship across the life course. Focusing on Italy, our analyses are grounded on a robust dataset spanning from 1998 to 2016 (FSS Italian data) and encompass various kinship configurations, including the number and types of kin: parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings, thus aiming to provide a holistic understanding of the intricate tapestry of social connections and potential support systems that individuals weave throughout their lives. Furthermore, we integrate the analysis considering the availability of friends. From this extensive descriptive work, it clearly emerges that a large share of Italians can still count on a rather diversified network of close kin during all their life, although some criticism appears at older ages, especially for women. The life course perspective enables us to put in evidence that the recent trends in demographic behaviors – visible in the current kinship ties of younger people – anticipate a future shrinking of the close support network of individuals. Although those lacking close kin, or who can count only on one type of kin (often the partner), are not a large group numerically, their likely increase in the next years calls for an urgent need to understand their characteristics, frailties, and needs.
Scientific Publications: Writing of scientific articles is either completed or ongoing (refer to the publications section).
Dissemination Activities: Dissemination efforts have already begun and are ongoing.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
This phase of the research explores Italian kinship networks, and family changes over two decades, from 1998 to 2016, a period characterized by profound family changes. Specifically, focusing on Italy, we explore the prevalence of different kinship networks, the prevalence of kinlessness, and the dynamics of friendship across the life course, encompassing various kinship configurations (parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings) and friendship.
From this extensive descriptive work, it clearly emerges that a large share of Italians can still count on a rather diversified network of close kin during all their life, although some criticism appears at older ages, especially for women. The life course perspective enables us to put in evidence that the recent trends in demographic behaviors – visible in the current kinship ties of younger people – anticipate a future shrinking of the close support network of individuals. Although those lacking close kin, or who can count only on one type of kin (often the partner), are not a large group numerically, their likely increase in the next years calls for an urgent need to understand their characteristics, frailties, and needs. In addition, friends are present at all ages, but gender differences – linked to life course stages – are present.
This study contributes to unravel the multifaceted interdependencies between family structures and non-family social support, setting the stage for future research on the intricate interplay between family structures and non-family social support systems across the life course.
Scientific Publications: Writing of scientific articles is either completed or ongoing (refer to the publications section).
Dissemination Activities: Dissemination efforts have already begun and are ongoing.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
This phase of the study explores the evolving structure and function of kinship networks across different ages. Kinship networks are critical in providing emotional, practical, and financial support at all ages, also shaping individual behaviors and identities across generations. While much existing research has concentrated on older adults, this study highlights that kinship networks are relevant at all ages. Their size, diversity, and intergenerational structure vary throughout the life course and affect the different roles played by vertical (intergenerational) and horizontal (sibling, cousin) ties. Beyond close kin, the broader web of social support—including friends and more distant relatives—also shifts in significance over time and across contexts.
Using data from the Italian Families & Social Subjects (FSS) surveys of 1998 and 2016, the study examines the prevalence, composition, and diversity of kinship networks in Italy—a country with strong family norms but undergoing rapid demographic change, including aging, increasing childlessness, and evolving partnership behaviors. The analysis estimates the availability of specific kin ties across 10-year age groups (from 18 to 80+), disaggregated by sex, and also accounts for the presence of non-kin and friendship-based ties.
Findings show that most Italians maintain relatively diverse kinship networks throughout life, but notable vulnerabilities appear in older age, particularly among women. Non-kin ties, such as friendships, are also significant, with their relevance varying by age and gender. Over the past two decades, clear shifts in network size and structure have emerged, reflecting broader demographic trends likely to continue into the future.
Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of examining kinship networks not only in terms of their size but also their structural complexity and integration with non-family support systems. It provides valuable insights into the resilience and adaptability of social support systems in the face of demographic change, especially within culturally familialist societies like Italy.
Scientific Publications: Writing of scientific articles is either completed or ongoing (refer to the publications section).
Dissemination Activities: Dissemination efforts have already begun and are ongoing. Specifically, results have been presented at the scientific meeting of the Italian Association of Population Studies (June 2025), and will be presented at the scientific meeting of the IUSSP (July 2025). In addition, Marta Pittavino has been interviewed for the RAI tv program “Settegiorni in Parlamento” about kinlessness and kin availability in old age.
Among several publications (see publication section), selected key publications are: