Social Support Provision to HIV-Infected Gay Men1

The study examined associations between attitudes toward homosexuality, fear of AIDS, blame of persons infected with the HIV-virus, and social support provision to these individuals. A sample of HIV-infected gay men reported on the support they receive from specific members of their social networks. These network members then completed questionnaires assessing the predictor variables. Homophobia, homosexual preference, and the interaction of these two variables were positively associated with blame. Blame, together with fear of AIDS and low levels of psychological well-being, were negatively associated with provision of emotional support. Fear of AIDS was also related to negative changes in the quality of recipients' and providers' relationships. Finally, emotional support was strongly related to adjustment to illness among support recipients. Results suggest important points for intervention to promote adjustment to HIV infection among gay men.     

Adversarial Growth in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and their Partners: Relationships with Illness Perceptions,Disability and Distress

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their partners show adversarial growth and to examine which psychological and disability variables contribute to this in patients and their partners. The study also investigated the relationship between growth and distress. Seventy-two patients with MS and their partners provided demographic information and completed measures of posttraumatic growth, illness perceptions, depression, cognitive function and disability. Both patients and partners showed adversarial growth, with patients reporting significantly higher growth than partners. The only significant predictor for patient growth was partner growth, and vice versa. Dissimilarity in illness representations between patients and their partners on the consequences of MS dimension, patient mood and patient growth accounted for significant variance in partner growth. The findings support the idea of a ‘communal search for meaning’ where patients and their partners experience the trauma of having a chronic illness and subsequently find positive aspects together.     

Influences of Upstream Social Factors on Downstream Perceptions of Social Support in Cardiac Rehabilitation1

Within Berkman et al.'s (2000) framework, we examined sociodemographic correlates of social networks (SN) and social support (SS) in 155 heart patients (33 women, 122 men), who completed measures of sociodemographics, SN, and SS. Hierarchical regression analyses examined the relationship between sociodemographic factors and SN; and between sociodemographic factors, SN, and SS. Higher social status and more income were related to larger, more diverse networks and more SS. Higher social status and being married were related to more SS. Being married was related to more belonging and tangible support. Results show the complex relationship between higher level social factors and specific SS functions offering areas for future interventions to increase SS in heart patients.     

The Buffering Role of Social Support Perceptions in Relation to Eating Disturbances among Women in Abusive Dating Relationships

Abuse is often associated with diminished social support networks, which typically serve to buffer individuals against stress-related outcomes, including eating disorders. The goal of the present study was to examine whether eating disturbances among women in abusive dating relationships varied as function of perceived social support. Although both physical and psychological aggression in women's (N=83) dating relationships was associated with symptomatic dieting and bulimic symptoms, only psychological aggression predicted unique variance. Although psychological aggression was directly related to eating symptoms, support from friends diminished the relation to bulimic symptoms, possibly because such support facilitated women's ability to distract themselves from their abusive situations. In contrast, perceived parental support buffered women in physically abusive relationships from disturbed eating patterns. Thus, depending on the nature of abuse women experienced, social support resources were differentially effective in buffering women from eating disturbances.     

Suicidality Among Gay and Bisexual Men in Taiwan: Its Relationships with Sexuality and Gender Role Characteristics,Homophobic Bullying Victimization,and Social Support

This study aimed to examine the associations of suicidality in emerging adulthood with time of coming out, gender role nonconformity, sexual orientation, traditional and cyber homophobic bullying victimization, and family and peer support during childhood in gay and bisexual men in Taiwan. The frequency of “experiencing suicide ideation” and “attempting suicide” in the past year among 500 gay or bisexual men was examined. The participants’ time of coming out, level of subjective masculinity, sexual orientation, experiences of traditional and cyber homophobic bullying victimization, and levels of family and peer support during childhood were also evaluated. In total, 31% (n = 155) of participants reported experiencing suicide ideation (n = 82) or attempting suicide (n = 73). Early coming out, traditional homophobic bullying victimization, and low family support during childhood increased the risk of suicidality in emerging adulthood; by contrast, family support did not moderate the association of early coming out or traditional bullying victimization with current suicidality. A high proportion of participants reported experiencing suicide ideation and attempt in emerging adulthood. Hence, effective suicide prevention is required for gay and bisexual men. Suicide prevention programs should consider time of coming out, traditional homophobic bullying victimization, and level of family support.     

Observer Perceptions of Would-Be Provider and Would-Be Recipient Reactions to Rejected Social Support1

Role-playing observers predicted the reactions of hypothetical would-be recipients whose requests for social support were unmet as well as those of hypothetical would-be providers for their rejection of such requests. The extent to which the would-be recipient was depicted at fault for the problem was predicted to affect perceived reactions since support may be less likely when potential recipients are blameworthy than when they are innocent of responsibility for their predicament. Observers perceived would-be recipients of support as believing that would-be providers blamed them. Observers saw would-be providers as blaming the would-be recipients rather than themselves, especially if the victim was blameworthy. When the victim was not blameworthy, would-be providers were more likely than would-be recipients to be judged to use a mixture of rationalizations and excuses rather than blame.     

Family Functioning and Social Support in Men and Women Diagnosed with Depression in China

Previous research has demonstrated the association between family functioning and depression. This study evaluated family functioning and perceived social support in men and women in Shanghai who had received a diagnosis of a major depressive disorder (N = 100), including sixty-six women and thirty-four men. The relationship between family functioning and social support of outpatients with major depressive disorders was explored using the Chinese Family Assessment Device and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The scores from all dimensions of family functioning for both men and women indicated that depressed men and women all reported experiencing unhealthy family functioning. The clinical implications of these findings for the developing practice of family therapy in China are discussed.     

Social Relations,Coping, and Psychological Distress Among Persons With HIV/AIDS1

The interrelationships among social support, coping style, and psychological distress were examined using longitudinal data from a sample of 212 persons with HIV/AIDS. Structural equation modeling analyses showed significant indirect effects on psychological distress for avoidant coping, feeling loved and understood, satisfaction with support, rejection by family members, discrimination because of HIV status, and number of AIDS symptoms. The inclusion of negative social interactions in the model is an important extension of the stress‐support literature. Feeling loved and understood mediated the relationship between social support and coping style choice. Results highlight the multidimensional nature of the processes that shape psychological outcomes in HIV disease. and suggest several potential points of intervention, including social‐support efforts that increase the sense that one matters to others, and interventions to assist patients to move from avoidant to active coping strategies.     

艾滋病患者的社会支持系统

艾滋病是当前许多国家面临的最主要的公共卫生和社会问题.社会支持在艾滋病的预防与控制方面发挥着重要作用,运用社会支持网络理论,阐述了社会支持的概念与作用,分析了艾滋病患者的社会支持需要及艾滋病患者社会支持现状,并提出了完善社会支持系统的几点建议.     

酒精性肝损伤的防治思考

艾滋病是当前许多国家面临的最主要的公共卫生和社会问题。社会支持在艾滋病的预防与控制方面发挥着重要作用,运用社会支持网络理论,阐述了社会支持的概念与作用,分析了艾滋病患者的社会支持需要及艾滋病患者社会支持现状,并提出了完善社会支持系统的几点建议。     

Social Skills,Social Support,and Psychological Distress: A Test of the Social Skills Deficit Vulnerability Model

The social skills deficit vulnerability model predicts that poor social skills minimize opportunities to acquire social support, in turn, leading to the proliferation of psychological distress. This prediction was tested in a 2‐wave longitudinal study that assessed 211 emerging adults at Time 1 (T1), with a 70% response rate 1 year later at Time 2 (T2). The results indicated that, after controlling for psychological distress at T1, social skills at T1 had an indirect effect on lower psychological distress at T2, through higher social support. Thus, people with poor social skills may be vulnerable to the development of psychological distress because they have less access the protective effects of social support.     

Treating persons with ARC and AIDS in group psychotherapy

The authors describe a range of critical issues that are common within homogeneously composed groups for patients suffering from Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS Related Complex (ARC). They examine the need for these patients to understand their physical symptomatology, to reconsider life's priorities, and to confront their ethical and moral dilemmas. The authors also highlight special effects, unique group atmosphere and process, and the nature of the group contract that is essential for these patients.     

Abusive Supervision in Advising Relationships: Investigating the Role of Social Support

The present study examines the consequences of abusive supervision in an educational setting. The study contrasts the cross-domain stress-buffering hypothesis with the within-domain stress exacerbation hypothesis in examining the moderating role of advisor and team member support on the relationship between abusive supervision and student outcomes in student–advisor relationships. Using a temporal research design, results provided support for both hypotheses. In support of the stress exacerbation hypothesis, in the presence of high advisor support, there was a significant positive relationship between abusive supervision and anxiety, and a significant negative association between abusive supervision and psychological well-being. Consistent with the stress-buffering hypothesis, in the presence of high team member support, there was a negligible association between abusive supervision and satisfaction and anxiety.     

老年人生命态度及其与抑郁和社会支持的关系

使用死亡态度描绘量表(修订版)、流调中心用抑郁量表和个人资源量表2000对京津地区的516位老年人进行问卷调查,探讨老年人生命态度的结构及特点,并选取几个因素探讨其对老年人生命态度的影响。结果表明:(1)生命态度的结构包含死亡恐惧、死亡逃避、自然接受、趋近接受和逃离接受五个维度。(2)在生命态度的五个维度中,自然接受和趋近接受存在显著的性别差异,死亡恐惧、自然接受和逃离接受存在显著的教育程度差异;(3)抑郁与自然接受呈显著负相关,与生命态度其他四个维度呈显著正相关;社会支持与死亡恐惧呈显著负相关,与自然接受呈显著正相关。     

Counseling Gay Men with AIDS: Human Dimensions

As the incidence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) becomes more widespread, individuals with AIDS will present themselves for counseling in both public and private settings, and counselors will need to become familiar with the psychological manifestations of the AIDS virus. This article provides case material that demonstrates the emotional responses of gay men to AIDS. Specifically, denial, anger, rage, guilt, and shame are discussed with an emphasis on the human dimensions of AIDS.     

Negative Affectivity, Social Support, and the Prediction of Depression and Distress

ABSTRACT In the work we present in this article, we examined the contaminating effects of trait negative affectivity (TNA) on the relations between social support and psychological distress among college undergraduates. In the first study, it was suspected that controlling for TNA would substantially alter the associations between social support (as measured by the Social Provisions Scale) and depression at the initial assessment and later with negative mood prior to a course examination. Actual results from cross-sectional hierarchical regression analyses revealed that controlling for TNA reduced-but did not nullify-associations between reassurance of worth support and depression. TNA did not mediate the relation of reliable alliance support to state NA measured 2 weeks later prior to a course examination. Finally, a second study controlling for TNA found reassurance of worth support remained a significant prospective predictor of depression during the week of final examinations. Results are integrated with theoretical and measurement issues in social support research.     

Patterns of Violent Relationships, Psychological Distress, and Marital Satisfaction in a National Sample of Men and Women

This paper examined six patterns of violent relationships (severe and mild victimization, perpetration, and mutual violence) and their associations with psychosocial outcomes in men and women (N = 3,519) using data from the National Comorbidity Survey. Violence patterns most frequently reported included mild and severe violence performed by both relationship partners. Some gender differences in frequency of patterns emerged. Main results showed gender differences and some similarities in associations between violence patterns and negative psychosocial outcomes. Women’s victimization, regardless of severity, was more strongly related to psychosocial outcomes than men’s. Yet, additional findings revealed gender similarities, with both men and women affected by mutual violence. Post hoc analyses further suggested that some individuals were satisfied and had relatively low distress, despite violence.     

AIDS and ARC: Pastoral issues in the hospital setting

Eight areas of fear for persons with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and its related conditions are explored: change and stress, uncertainty and the unknown, waiting, the fear of symptoms, fear of contagion, abandonment, dependency and spiritual distress. Some particular issues of sub-populations with HIV infection are detailed. Suggestions for helpful pastoral responses to the common concerns and anxieties of patients and their loved ones are offered.