Objectives When identifying older adults who may be at risk of being without necessary supports, policy makers and scholars tend to focus on those living alone, neglecting differences within that group. We examine how their social networks contribute to subjective well-being, why some of them fare better and compare their well-being to older adults coresiding with others. Method Data are from the fourth wave of the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe (N = 53,383). A network typology for older people living alone (N = 10,047) is constructed using a latent class analysis. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions, we examined differences in subjective well-being (life satisfaction, satisfaction with social network, depression) by network type, adding adults coresiding with others (N = 43,336) as comparison group. Results We find four social network types among older adults living alone. The likelihood of having “restricted” and “child-based” networks is greater in Eastern and Southern European countries, whereas the likelihood of having “friend-oriented” networks is greater in Western and Northern European countries. Across countries, only those with “restricted” networks tend to have the poorest well-being. Those with “diverse” networks have even better well-being than coresiding older adults. Discussion Our study shows the importance of drawing distinctions within the group of older adults living alone. Most (two thirds) are not vulnerable and at risk, but fare just as well or even better than peers who coreside with others. Country-level factors shape the opportunities to build satisfactory networks, but subjective well-being depends more strongly on individual resources, including social networks, than country-level factors.

Heterogeneity in physical needs and resources of older individuals must be taken into account when assessing the effects of instrumental support on mental health.

While the concept of transnationalism has gained widespread popularity among scholars as a way to describe immigrants' longterm maintenance of cross-border ties, few studies have empirically addressed how social networks that connect migrants to each other and to nonmigrants in communities of origin are also associated with migrants' well-being. We examined the extent to which social support networks of Polish migrants in the Netherlands serve as precursors of loneliness. Using information on confidant networks (The Families of Poles in the Netherlands, N = 1131) and latent class analysis, five networks types are identified based on the received emotional support provided by kin and non-kin residing in the Netherlands and abroad. Migrants with small, homogeneous and kin-based (restricted) networks are more likely to be lonely compared to migrants with other four network types. Addressing the relationship between transnational activities and migrants' social networks, results suggest the host language proficiency is the most important predictor of large, heterogeneous, non-kin based networks in migrants. This study finds support that some transnational activates taking place in the host country are related to social networks in ways that promote integration, contrary to the notion that transnationalism is unrelated to the process of immigrant adaptation and assimilation. ARTICLE HISTORY

We investigate how the mental health of older adults (-) is associated with childlessness and sonlessness in China, where gender-biased filial expectations and strong son preference exist. The China Family Panel Study (, N = ,) and ordinary least squares regression models are used to investigate the relationship between depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies -Depression scale) and parental status, distinguishing between childless, parents of both sons and daughters, parents of only sons and parents of only daughters. Arguing that modernisation shapes gender preferences for children as well as formal care and pension provisions for older adults, we find a sharp rural-urban divide in the relationship between parental status and depression. Just having a son is not what matters as the best faring groups are parents who have both sons and daughters, regardless of the number of children. Rural childless and sonless are similar, whereas in urban areas parental status is not so salient, supporting modernisation theory.