MSF survey finds filial piety remains strong in Singapore
Families in Singapore maintain close-knit ties, and are the first line of support for most people, a new survey has shown.
The vast majority of people polled aged 15 to 64 agree that it is their responsibility to take care of their parents, while most seniors said they would turn to their family for caregiving help.
The findings were released as part of a report on key family trends by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on July 15 at a National Family Festival Appreciation Lunch held at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.
The survey - the first of its kind in Singapore - aimed to understand how resilient families are. This is defined as the ability of families to adapt to challenges, bounce back from adversity and manage stressful events.
Some 2,000 Singaporeans aged 15 and above were polled from the last quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024.
Questions included whether respondents face challenges together as a family instead of individually, and if they feel like they can count on their family for help during difficulties. They were also asked if they are able to make sense of stressful situations and focus on their options, and whether they have economic security to be able to get through hard times.
This is the first time MSF has conducted a large-scale survey using the Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire. The resilience scale has been used internationally to understand how people perceive family ties and social issues.
MSF said the study is important in quantifying the resilience of families. “A resilient family makes for better individual well-being and stronger communities. It also helps to track MSF’s efforts in strengthening relationships among family members,” said a spokesperson for the ministry.
The findings will also help MSF to plan programmes and initiatives for families to overcome challenges.
Almost 86 per cent of families reported a moderate to high score for family resilience, which means they would generally be able to recover from challenges together.
Married people were more likely to have high family resilience. They were also more likely to have a close-knit family, compared to those who were single.
About nine per cent of married respondents reported a low family resilience score, compared to 24 per cent of divorced or widowed respondents, and about 21 per cent of singles.
Married people were also more likely to have a close-knit family, compared to those who were single, the survey found.
Professor of sociology at Singapore Management University Paulin Tay Straughan said this finding was not surprising, as people form families of their own when they get married.
“In a marriage, your spouse usually becomes your strongest supporter, and children can also be a source of emotional support,” she added. “Marriage is one functional way to expand your support network - besides your spouse or children, you also gain in-laws.”
She said: “If you are single, your network for family may be smaller, but I think that it’s important to note that singles may have other forms of non-kin network. For example, many of them would count their close friends as their strongest social support.”
Singles are not without support - it may just be a different type of support, she added.
MSF said families continue to be a key pillar of support for caregiving needs, on the back of more seniors living alone in Singapore.
The MSF report said that the number of elderly residents living alone more than doubled from 35,160 in 2013 to 78,135 in 2023. Despite this, more than 80 per cent of seniors in Singapore still stay with their spouse or children.
Majority of the survey respondents said they would provide financial and emotional support to family members, and 81.4 per cent said they would provide regular physical support if their family needed help in their daily lives.
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