The buffering role of social support on the associations among discrimination,mental health,and suicidality in a transgender sample

Introduction: Per the minority stress framework, trans individuals often experience psychological distress given the unique stress engendered by gender identity–related discrimination. Prior research has identified social support as particularly important for psychological distress and has suggested that social support may moderate this relationship. The purpose of the current study was to explore the patterns of connections among discrimination, mental health, and suicidal ideation in trans individuals and whether social support moderates these relationships. Methods: Participants (N = 78) completed measures of these constructs as part of a national online survey. Results: A series of simultaneous multiple regressions found that harassment/rejection discrimination was a unique positive predictor of mental health symptoms and suicidal ideation, with depression positively predicting suicidal ideation. A mediational model indicated that the association between harassment/rejection discrimination and suicidal ideation was fully mediated by depression. Three moderated meditational models were run, and one yielded a significant interaction, such that discrimination predicted suicidal ideation most strongly when participants had low social support from a significant other in comparison to participants who had moderate or high support. Further, conditional direct effects identified that discrimination led to ideation only for individuals with low support from friends or a significant other but not for those with moderate or high support. Conclusions: Helping trans individuals cope with harassment and rejection, particularly by drawing on social support, may promote better mental health, which could help reduce suicidality in this population.     

Main and interactive effects of social support in predicting mental health symptoms in men and women following military stressor exposure

Abstract

Evidence across a multitude of contexts indicates that social support is associated with reduced risk for mental health symptoms. More information is needed on the effectiveness of different sources of support, as well as sex differences in support. Associations between social support from two sources – the military unit and friends and family – and mental health symptoms were examined in a study of 1571 Marine recruits assessed at the beginning and end of a highly stressful 13-week training program. Military social support buffered the stressor exposure–posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) relationship, whereas the relationship between stressor exposure and PTSS was highest when civilian social support was high. Further inspection of the interactions revealed that military support was most important at high levels of stressor exposure. Sex differences in the relationship between social support and symptoms were found, such that support from military peers was associated with lower levels of PTSS for men, whereas civilian support was associated with lower PTSS for women. While civilian social support was associated with lower levels of depression symptom severity in both women and men, the relationship was stronger for women. Reviewed implications focus on the importance of considering the recipient, source, and context of social support.     

Quality of life and mental health among women with ovarian cancer: examining the role of emotional and instrumental social support seeking

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of emotional and instrumental social support seeking in the quality of life (QOL) and mental health of women with ovarian cancer. Participants were recruited through the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry, and one hundred women took part in a mail questionnaire that collected information on their demographics, medical status, social support seeking, QOL and mental health including anxiety, depression and stress. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the influence of emotional and instrumental social support seeking on QOL and mental health. After controlling for remission status, greater emotional social support seeking was predictive of higher overall QOL, social/family QOL, functional QOL and lower depression scores. Instrumental social support seeking was not significant in the models. The results illustrate that social support seeking as a coping mechanism is an important consideration in the QOL and mental health of women with ovarian cancer. Future studies should examine the psychological and behavioral mediators of the relationship to further understand the QOL and mental health of women with ovarian cancer.     

Virtual voices: social support and stigma in postnatal mental illness Internet forums

Many women with postnatal mental illness do not get the treatment they need and this is often because stigma prevents disclosure. The purpose of this study was to explore online social support for postnatal mental illness, how women experience stigma and potential disadvantages of using Internet forums. Interviews were conducted with fifteen participants who had suffered postnatal mental illness and had used forums. Systematic thematic analysis identified common themes in relation to social support, stigma and disadvantages of using forums. Most women felt they benefited from visiting forums by developing a shared understanding and discourse about their illness. Findings suggest future research should investigate if women benefit from using online social support provided by forums, if use challenges stigma and further explore potential concerns about using forums.     

The role of social support in the acculturation and mental health of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers

There is a lack of knowledge about psychosocial resources that may sustain post‐resettlement psychological adjustment among unaccompanied minor asylum‐seekers. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of social support from family abroad and friends on acculturation, discrimination, and mental health among these vulnerable children and youth. Questionnaire data were collected from a population‐based multi‐ethnic sample involving 895 unaccompanied minors resettled in municipalities in all regions of the country. They met in groups in their local communities. The informants were on average 18.6 years, and had an average length of stay in Norway of 3.5 years. The findings showed that the participants suffered from high levels of ongoing war related intrusive symptoms and depression. Still, at the same time they engaged in adaptation processes that are normative to youth with immigrant backgrounds, in terms of constructing supportive networks and developing culture competence. In accordance with the main effect hypothesis, social support had direct effects on depression and indirect effects by increasing culture competence that may aid the young refugees in dealing with discrimination. However, there were no effects of social support on symptoms of PTSD. The findings give direction to areas of interventions, beyond dealing with the sequel of the traumas the unaccompanied minors have been exposed to, not only for clinicians, but also social workers and school personnel.     

Modeling of variables related to problematic social media usage: Social desirability tendency example

Social media usage has been popular for the last decade. Individuals use their social media environments for various reasons such as to socialize, play games, have fun and share posts. Overuse of these environments may lead to negative psychological and behavioral consequences for individuals. Additionally, it increases the worries about potential addicted/problematic use of social media. In this study, it is aimed to determine the level of problematic social media usage of participants who are active social media users and to analyze the relationships between problematic social media usage and various personal characteristics and social variables. Study in relational screening model is carried out with the participation of 580 volunteers. Partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data obtained through various scale according to the research model. The structural equation modeling analysis shows that there is a significant relationship between problematic social media usage and the daily time of social media usage, the use of frequency of social media for recognition, publicity, communication/interaction and education, loneliness, and social anxiety. The variable which shows higher correlation between problematic social media usage is social anxiety.     

The selective relationship between religious dimensions and social desirability among Polish students

This study explores the effect of the position of the religious construct-system (central vs. subordinated vs. marginal) in personality on the relationship between social desirability and structure of religiosity, emotion to God and post-critical belief. The sample comprised Polish Students (N?=?200) aged between 19 and 29 years. The Social Desirability Scale, The Structure-of-Religiosity Test and The Post-Critical Belief Scale were employed in the study. The results suggest that religiosity is not associated with social desirability.     

Religiousness on mental health in older adults: the mediating role of social support and healthy behaviours

The positive association between religiousness and mental health among the faithful is well-established; here, social support (SS) and healthy behaviours (HB) are investigated as mechanisms underlying the benefits of faith on depression and anxiety in a survey sample of 97 religious older adults aged 62–96 (M_age?=?79). Initial regression models revealed a significant direct effect (higher religiousness?=?less depression and less anxiety). For depressive symptoms, both individual mediators rendered the effect of religiousness non-significant, with HB explaining more variance (36% vs. 27%); in the combined model, both demonstrated independent, additive effects (SS?=??.18, p?=?.006; HB?=??.34, p?p?=?.005). The results help inform those working with religious older adults facing depression and anxiety by highlighting key aspect(s) of the person’s faith experience that will be most effective in helping to improve his or her mental health.     

Social desirability,perceived stress,and PACT ratings in lung transplant candidates: A preliminary investigation

Some aspect of psychosocial criteria is commonly utilized by most transplant programs in assessing candidates' acceptability for transplantation. However, regardless of the assessment methodology, information obtained in pretransplant assessments may be limited given the evaluative nature of the assessment as well as the sensitive nature of the contents. Indeed, transplant candidates may present themselves in a favorable fashion, minimizing any negative traits or psychological dysfunction which they perceive might prevent transplantation. Unfortunately, there are limited data addressing the extent to which transplant candidates may present themselves in an overly positive light. This investigation surveys the prevalence of social desirability in lung transplant candidates as well as its association with self-reports of perceived stress. Further, the relationship between social desirability and interviewer ratings of transplant candidacy is examined. Subjects included 24 patients in end-stage organ failure being evaluated for lung transplant candidacy. Subjects completed the Perceived Stress Scale and a brief version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Additionally, subjects were interviewer-rated on the Psychosocial Assessment of Candidates for Transplantation. Results indicate social desirability is a prevalent phenomenon in lung transplant candidates, with more than half of the sample scoring at or above the 84th percentile on the social desirability measure. Further, self-reports of perceived stress are moderately and inversely associated with social desirability (r=–.55,p .01). Social desirability was unrelated to interviewer-ratings of transplant candidates acceptability (r=.13,p .56). Future research might include larger samples of subjects, other organ transplant candidates, and more detailed assessments of symptom distress.     

Social support,psychological vulnerability,and HIV risk among African American men who have sex with men

Previous research has suggested a need to understand the social-psychological factors contributing to HIV risk among African American men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted individual in-depth interviews with 34 adult African American MSM to examine their personal experiences about: (i) sources of social support, (ii) psychological responses to the presence or absence of social support and (iii) influences of social support on sexual behaviours. The majority of participants described limited positive encouragement and lack of emotional support from family, as well as few meaningful personal relationships. Feelings of isolation and mistrust about personal relationships led many participants to avoid emotional intimacy and seek physical intimacy through sexual encounters. Findings highlight a need for multilevel interventions that enhance social support networks and address the social-psychological, emotional and interpersonal factors that contribute to HIV risk among African American MSM.     

Work attitudes, employment barriers, and mental health symptoms in a sample of rural welfare recipients

Most of the extant research on welfare reform has neglected to consider the experiences of families in rural settings. Fifty women receiving welfare for their dependent children in a rural community were interviewed about their work experiences and aspirations, barriers to employment and service use, as well as mental health and social support. The findings indicate that the majority of participants were connected to the labor force and expressed positive attitudes about work. Barriers to employment (lack of available jobs, child care) and service use (transportation, inconvenient office hours) were endorsed. Perceived social support was negatively related to depression symptoms and positively related to self-efficacy and self-esteem. The importance of understanding the life experiences of welfare recipients in different contexts is discussed.     

Social desirability in personality inventories: Symptoms,diagnosis and prescribed cure

An analysis of social desirability in personality assessment is presented. Starting with the symptoms, Study 1 showed that mean ratings of graded personality items are moderately to strongly linearly related to social desirability (Self Deception, Impression formation, and the first Principal Component), suggesting that item popularity may be a useful heuristic tool for identifying items which elicit socially desirable responding. We diagnose the cause of socially desirable responding as an interaction between the evaluative content of the item and enhancement motivation in the rater. Study 2 introduced a possible cure; evaluative neutralization of items. To test the feasibility of the method lay psychometricians (undergraduates) reformulated existing personality test items according to written instructions. The new items were indeed lower in social desirability while essentially retaining the five factor structure and reliability of the inventory. We conclude that although neutralization is no miracle cure, it is simple and has beneficial effects.     

社会网络视角下的同伴关系与心理健康

近年来, 从社会网络视角考察同伴关系与心理健康的相互作用正成为发展心理学和健康心理学研究的热点。研究者多借助整体网和纵向数据, 通过两种作用机制, 即选择过程(selection process) (强调心理和行为变量对社会网络和同伴关系的影响, 如关系的形成、维持和解除)和影响过程(influence process) (强调社会网络和同伴关系对心理和行为变量的影响), 来分析同伴关系与心理健康协同演进的动态过程。实证研究关注的领域集中在青少年健康风险行为(如吸烟、喝酒、药物滥用)和情绪问题(如抑郁、焦虑、孤独感)。未来研究应该注重拓展社会网络的类型和样本、加强理论建构、增加对积极心理和消极关系的研究, 并有望在互联网领域及社会网络的生物学基础等方面取得进展。     

Stigma modifies the association between social support and mental health among sexual violence survivors in the Democratic Republic of Congo: implications for practice

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to further understanding of the relationship between social support, internalized and perceived stigma, and mental health among women who experienced sexual violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Methods: Drawing from baseline survey data collected in eastern DRC, researchers conducted a secondary cross-sectional analysis using data from 744 participants. Regression and moderation analyses were conducted to examine associations between social support variables, felt stigma, and depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Results: Emotional support seeking and felt stigma were positively associated with increased symptom severity across all three mental health variables. Stigma modified associations between emotional support seeking and depression (t?=??2.49, p?=?.013), anxiety (t?=??3.08, p?=?.002), and PTSD (t?=??2.94, p?=?.003). Increased frequency of emotional support seeking was associated with higher mental health symptoms of anxiety and PTSD among women experiencing all levels of stigma.

Conclusions: Enhancing understanding of social support and stigma may inform research and intervention among Congolese forced migrant populations across circumstances and geographic locations. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

The relation of self-supporting personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support

This study examines the relational model of self-supporting personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support in a sample of 482 Chinese high school students using the Self-Supporting Personality Scale for Adolescent Students (SSPS-AS), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results from the cross-sectional structural equation analyses revealed that interpersonal initiative, interpersonal openness, personal openness and personal initiative predicted perceived social support through the mediating role of enacted social support, while interpersonal responsibility, interpersonal flexibility, and personal initiative predicted perceived social support directly. Thus, the hypothesized relational model of personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support was supported. The positive relational schema may be the main underpinning of the relation of self-supporting personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support. Culture also may influence the relation.     

Addressing social determinants of mental health in therapy: A thematic synthesis

Background

The importance of addressing social determinants of mental health in therapy is well-documented. However, there appears to be limited research on what this actually involves in practice and how best to prepare therapists to work with individuals experiencing adverse social determinants.

Aims

The aim of this review was to draw implications for practice and training from reviewing research on addressing social determinants of mental health in therapy.

Methodology

A qualitative systematic review of the research on addressing social determinants of mental health in therapy was conducted, extracting papers from eight databases: Cochrane Library, ASSIA, CINAHL Plus, PsycInfo, Psychoanalytic Electronic Publishing, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science. Out of 127 papers found, five met the eligibility criteria and were quality-assessed and analysed thematically.

Findings

The thematic synthesis generated three main themes: “the therapeutic relationship,” “adapting to client context” and “community as a resource,” with eight subthemes.

Conclusion

This thematic synthesis highlights the importance of the therapeutic relationship and adapting mental health support to client frame of reference and context to address social determinants of mental health in therapy. It emphasises community as a helpful resource for informing training and therapeutic interventions, as well as a significant resource for people experiencing adverse social determinants.     

Perfectionism and health: A mediational analysis of the roles of stress,social support and health-related behaviours

This study tested a model derived from personality theory in which perceived stress, perceived social support, health-risk and health-promotion behaviours mediate the relationship between perfectionism and perceived physical health. A sample of 538 undergraduate students completed a web-based survey assessing multi-dimensional perfectionism, perceived stress, perceived social support, health behaviours, physical health and a scale tapping elements of the five-factor model of personality. Analyses that account for the effects of traits from the five-factor model (e.g., neuroticism, conscientiousness and extraversion) indicated that socially prescribed perfectionism was associated with poorer physical health and this association was fully mediated by higher levels of perceived stress and lower levels of perceived social support. Self-oriented perfectionism was related complexly to health such that it was related to poorer health via higher levels of perceived stress, but was also related to better health via higher levels of perceived social support. Our findings illustrate the need for considering key mediators of the link between perfectionism and poor health outcomes.     

Women's mental health: coping mechanisms in the context of poverty

This study explored the coping mechanisms of women from an economically disadvantaged community in a South African setting. Data on symptoms of depression, prevalence of ego-resilience and demographics were collected from 60 women (African women aged 20–78 years) using a survey and individual interviews. The quantitative data were analysed using the Spearman's correlation coefficient and Mann–Whitney-U tests, while thematic analysis was used for the qualitative component. The results indicated protective factors of inner strength, peer relationships, religion and music, and community group participation as coping mechanisms for depressive symptoms in resource scarce environments. A sense of purpose was found in caring for children, and social participation was a crucial support mechanism.