When the going gets tough, we go to our family

When the going gets tough, we go to our family
25 November 2015

If you are going through a significant event in your life, you are most likely to seek help from family members, according to new research from Statistics New Zealand.

The research, released today, shows that 61 percent of New Zealand adults who experienced a major life change in the last 12 months turned to family for support. We are over four times more likely to go to family for support first than either friends or professionals.

People may not draw on their social networks for support until a significant event occurs in their life, social statistics manager Scott Ussher said. For example, a change in health status, employment situation, or the death of someone close.

“We know it’s mostly only when the going gets tough that people have to draw on support. Knowing when support is needed is important for planning how that help can be provided by families, friends and, where necessary, the likes of government agencies.”

While family was the most commonly accessed support across all age groups, the proportion of young people (aged 15–24) reporting family as the source of first help was higher than for older people (65 years and over).

Seeking support from professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, was more common in later life. However, 1 in 5 (21 percent) New Zealand adults who had experienced a life change in the last 12 months did not get help during that change.

Social networks help New Zealanders deal with change uses information from the 2014 New Zealand General Social Survey to describe how people use their social networks to help get through periods of major change in their life.

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