Social Connection Report: The Ties That Bind and Nurture
Parental well-being is inextricably tied to children’s development. A key dimension of this is the nature and strength of parental social connections. But many recent developments, including the explosion of social media and the COVID-19 pandemic, are altering these very connections.
With support from Reach Out and Read Carolinas, Capita recently commissioned a survey in North Carolina, USA, to answer: What kinds of social connections do parents have? Do they have the support they need? Are they lonely? Are there key differences between generations that can help us better support the next generation (Gen Z) as they begin to parent?
Our aims: to understand how parents are faring and the potential impacts on their children. We surveyed 800 adults aged 18-50 across the state. Half of respondents had kids aged 0-5 and the others had older children or no children.
We hope our findings will draw attention to the needs of families and help guide steps to strengthen social connectedness in North Carolina and beyond.
Key takeaways
Loneliness, Family Structure, and Age
One in three parents in North Carolina are lonely.
At the same time, parents of young children were significantly less likely to report being lonely than other respondents.
Parents of young children without a spouse or partner are lonelier than married parents.
Loneliness was more common for Gen Z parents with young children than for older parents.
Nearly half of Gen Z parents with young children are single parents.
Social Support and Advice for Parents
More than one in four parents of young children felt they did not have anyone they could look to for parenting advice during their child’s critical developmental years.
Parents are most likely to get advice from family and health care providers.
Only 27% of parents of young children reported using paid child care providers as a source of advice.
Parents across different racial and ethnic groups place similar value on sources of parenting advice.
Participation in Social Activities
Over half of parents of young children are involved in at least one community activity or social group. This is significantly more than respondents who are not parents of young children.
However, their participation in social activities was not a strong buffer against feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
Gen Z parents of young children are more likely than older parents to participate in community activities, except for religious ones.
Capita gratefully acknowledges the support of Reach Out and Read Carolinas, which made this publication possible.