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PubMedDate not supplied

Social skills and the stability of social relationships between individuals with intellectual disabilities and other community members.

Stability of social relationships may be an important indicator of lifestyle quality. Fifteen individuals with intellectual disabilities participated in an analysis of the relationship between their social skills (as measured via the Scales of Independent Behavior and the Assessment of Social Competence) and the stability of the social relationships they experienced with other community members, who were neither paid staff nor family members, across the course of 94 consecutive weeks. A participant's social skills did a moderately good job of predicting the average social stability achieved by all of his or her social network members, but a poorer job of predicting the average social stability achieved by the participant's three most stable social network members. The findings suggest that the stability of a participant's most stable social network members is based not on the participant's social skills, but rather on other factors.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2003

Involvement of support networks in treatment.

Alcohol dependence and abuse are biopsychosocially determined and ameliorated. However, social factors involved in effecting treatment outcomes continue to be understudied as a context in which psychological and biological factors are researched and also as a treatment focus in their own right. Yet the client's social setting and relationships during and after treatment are more important forces in the recovery process than formally defined alcohol treatment interventions. Though this has been so historically, it is even more likely now in managed care environments where treatments are highly circumscribed. This suggests that treatment interventions refocus toward targeting changes in the patient's social environment. Treatments involving spouses and families of the patient's social networks it has been shown, are incrementally effective. A high priority for research is to identify the set of conditions under which the wider social network can also be effective. Early results are promising though not well understood. The next generation of network therapies will focus on testing the conditions under which various components of the patient's social network are important in affecting patient outcomes. As with other therapies, an important focus for research is on identifying the active ingredients in these treatments that bring about favorable change in patients generally or that enhance the outcomes of the subset of patients particularly amenable to network interventions (patient-treatment "matching"). Recommended priorities for future research in network interventions are identified.

Alcoholics Anonymous↗
PubMed1992

From nurture to network: examining links between perceptions of parenting received in childhood and social bonds in adulthood.

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to consider the extent to which key characteristics of their parents influence children's later socialization in terms of social networks and intimate relationships and thus to examine whether there is evidence of such continuity. DATA COLLECTION: The authors reviewed the pertinent literature and then examined studies using a measure of key dimensions of the parenting received in childhood (the Parental Bonding Instrument) as well as measures of adult social networks. FINDINGS: The literature review revealed evidence of links (more evident in women) between perceptions of having received uncaring parenting and deficiencies in diffuse social bonds, which could reflect a causal process, a general response bias, or methodological limitations. By contrast, studies using the Parental Bonding Instrument and a specific measure of adult intimate bonds failed to find links between perceptions of parenting received in childhood and the quality of current intimate relationships unless there was extreme deprivation of parental care; in that case, the current intimate relationship was more likely to be rated as uncaring. CONCLUSIONS: These findings refine the view that early socialization experiences shape and dictate interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Any deficiencies in parent-child relationships, except, perhaps, gross parental deprivation, appear capable of modification by a range of experiences (particularly subsequent interpersonal relationships).

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Social relationships, stress and mortality].

Empirically it has been demonstrated in many cases that social networks induce lower mortality rates. This article discusses various approaches to explain this phenomenon in consideration of the influence of stress. The empirical analysis refers to the complex interrelation between social networks, stress and mortality. In doing so, quantitative and qualitative aspects of social networks, different indicators of stress as well as the interaction effect of stress and social network is analyzed. Data derive from the German "MONICA Project" (MONICA=Monitoring of trends and determinants of cardiovascular diseases). The data comprise two cross-sectional surveys in 1984/85 and 1989/90 in the Augsburg area as well as a mortality follow-up in 1997/98. The study includes 7329 persons between the age of 25 and 74 years with German nationality. The empirical analyses confirm the findings that social relationships induce lower mortality rates. Yet, social relationships lead to lower mortality independent of stress and social strains.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of the social support networks of Filipino and Mexican-American primigravidas.

In this descriptive-exploratory study, we sought to describe and compare the similarities and differences between Filipino and Mexican-American primigravidas in social support networks, type of support received, and expectations regarding care from health care providers. Convenience sampling was used, and face-to-face interviews using the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (Norbeck, Lindsey, & Carrieri, 1983) were conducted in Filipino and Spanish by trained data collectors. The profiles obtained for both groups were similar in sociodemographic characteristics; possession of an adequate social support network, predominantly composed of the spouse and family members; and expectations of more personalized care and decreased waiting time than transpired. The groups differed slightly with regard to ability to discuss pregnancy with persons reported in the network. Overall findings reflect the central role of the family as a source of support during pregnancy. Recommendations are made to conduct research addressing populations of varied ethnic groups and with different educational backgrounds, populations of single and teenage pregnant women, and spousal support.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Human capital, social capital and social exclusion: impacts on the opportunity of households with youth to leave poverty.

Based on a sample survey, this paper, analyzes the impact of human capital, social capital and social exclusion on the opportunity of Hong Kong families with youth members to leave poverty. Educational attainment of the youth members and adult family members, as well as the quantity and quality of social networks were found to have significant positive impacts, while social exclusion from the labor market of the adult members was found to have significant negative impact on their opportunity to leave poverty. Among all factors, quality of social network is the most influential. The author suggests that in order to help families out of poverty and enable positive development of youth members, poverty alleviation policies or programs should be targeted to help the youth in poor families to build up a quality social network.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Social resources and cognitive decline in a population of older African Americans and whites.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relation of social resources and cognitive decline in older adults. METHODS: Data are from the Chicago Health and Aging Project, an epidemiologic study of risk factors for Alzheimer disease (AD) and other common conditions in a geographically defined population of older persons. The sample consisted of 6,102 non-Hispanic African Americans (61.2%) and whites, aged > or = 65, who underwent up to three interviews during an average of 5.3 years of follow-up. Each interview included administration of four cognitive function tests from which a composite measure of cognition was formed. Social networks were based on the number of children, relatives, and friends seen at least once a month. Social engagement was measured with four items related to social and productive activity. RESULTS: Higher number of social networks and level of social engagement were positively correlated with initial level of cognitive function (networks estimate = 0.003, engagement estimate = 0.060, both p < 0.001). Both resources were also associated with a reduced rate of cognitive decline. A high (90th percentile) number of networks reduced the rate of decline by 39% compared to a low level (10th percentile), and high social engagement reduced decline by 91%. These relations remained after controlling for socioeconomic status, cognitive activity, physical activity, depressive symptoms, and chronic medical conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Greater social resources, as defined by social networks and social engagement, are associated with reduced cognitive decline in old age.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2000

Origin and evolution of primate social organisation: a reconstruction.

The evolution and origin of primate social organisation has attracted the attention of many researchers, and a solitary pattern, believed to be present in most nocturnal prosimians, has been generally considered as the most primitive system. Nocturnal prosimians are in fact mostly seen alone during their nightly activities and therefore termed 'solitary foragers', but that does not mean that they are not social. Moreover, designating their social organisation as 'solitary', implies that their way of life is uniform in all species. It has, however, emerged over the last decades that all of them exhibit not only some kind of social network but also that those networks differ among species. There is a need to classify these social networks in the same manner as with group-living (gregarious) animals if we wish to link up the different forms of primate social organisation with ecological, morphological or phylogenetic variables. In this review, we establish a basic classification based on spatial relations and sociality in order to describe and cope properly with the social organisation patterns of the different species of nocturnal prosimians and other mammals that do not forage in cohesive groups. In attempting to trace the ancestral pattern of primate social organisation, the Malagasy mouse and dwarf lemurs and the Afro-Asian bushbabies and lorises are of special interest because they are thought to approach the ancestral conditions most closely. These species have generally been believed to exhibit a dispersed harem system as their pattern of social organisation ('dispersed' means that individuals forage solitarily but exhibit a social network). Therefore, the ancestral pattern of primate social organisation was inferred to be a dispersed harem. In fact, new field data on cheirogaleids combined with a review of patterns of social organisation in strepsirhines (lemurs, bushbabies and lorises) revealed that they exhibit either dispersed multi-male systems or dispersed monogamy rather than a dispersed harem system. Therefore, the concept of a dispersed harem system as the ancestral condition of primate social organisation can no longer be supported. In combination with data on social organisation patterns in 'primitive' placentals and marsupials, and in monotremes, it is in fact most probable that promiscuity is the ancestral pattern for mammalian social organisation. Subsequently, a dispersed multi-male system derived from promiscuity should be regarded as the ancestral condition for primates. We further suggest that the gregarious patterns of social organisation in Aotus and Avahi, and the dispersed form in Tarsius evolved from the gregarious patterns of diurnal primates rather than from the dispersed nocturnal type. It is consequently proposed that, in addition to Aotus and Tarsius, Avahi is also secondarily nocturnal.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The contribution of personality characteristics to the relationship between social support and perceived physical health.

Although a great deal of research has been conducted on the relationship between social support and physical health, the contribution of personality characteristics to this relationship has rarely been assessed. Structural equation modeling was employed to derive and test a model of the direct and indirect relationships between personality characteristics, social network size, the perceived availability of support, socially supportive behaviors, and perceived physical health with a sample of Pennsylvania adults. Significant paths indicate that individuals who perceive themselves as affiliative and as help seekers and help givers report larger social networks, receive more socially supportive behaviors, and perceive that more support is available to them. The perception that support is available shared a direct relationship with perceived physical health. The utility of including multiple measures of social support and personality characteristics related to receiving support in investigations of the relationship between social support and physical health is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Effects of stressful life events which cause depression in the elderly, and the role of the social support network--a longitudinal study in Hokkaido prefecture].

The effects of stressful life events which cause depression in the elderly and the role of the social support network--a longitudinal study in Hokkaido prefecture It has been reported that various stressful life events experienced by the elderly increase the risk of depression, and that a support network mitigates the effects. However, reports in our country are still lacking. This research was a longitudinal study in a former coal mining area, conducting a baseline survey on 1991. Every three to four years, we followed-up the elderly in the area. The questionnaire included :1) base attributes 2) stressful life events 3) networks, 4) instrumental/emotional support, support provided themselves, 4) Zung's Self Rating Depression Scale, 5) subjective health/number of illness/hospital admission/body aches/vision and hearing/urinary incontinence/signs of dementia, 6) hobbies and motivation in life/ADL/IADL. Whether male or female, SDS scores after three years were significantly high in cases of poor health, body aches, and signs of dementia. Females who did not participate in social activities scored significantly high after three years. In cross-sectional analysis, both males and females who were not working had significantly high scores. The effect of networks on SDS scores in females was significantly recognized for items regarding children living separately, neighborhood, close friends/relatives, and groups. However, it was not significant for males. Thus, a gender difference was found. In females, the level of depression was low when there were supports, though it was not significant in males. The subjective health condition was significantly different from SDS scores in both male and female groups. Admission to hospital, existence of body aches and vision disturbance were significantly different in females. Nevertheless, those were not significant in the male group. For social activity, whether the persons possessed hobbies and motivation in life or not created a significant difference in SDS scores. For stressful life events, both males and females had significantly high SDS scores caused by aggravation of health condition. In the female group, moving against the will, illness of spouse/family, and increased borrowing showed significance, and life events experienced within a year and SDS scores were significantly related. In multivariate analysis using parameters of males in 1995, only subjective health condition significantly increased the level of depression. In females, when the number of experienced life events was large, the level of depression was higher even when adjusted for the subjective health condition. Moreover, even then when "home visits by children separately living" were rare, the level of depression tended to be higher. As future issues, (1) adequate measures for evaluation of social support networks and (2) early preventive action in each community with validated scales for stressful life events are important.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

The role of community services and informal support on five-year drinking trajectories of alcohol dependent and problem drinkers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine how informal support and community services impact the course of alcohol disorders by examining the trajectories of alcohol consumption over 5 years in dependent and problem drinkers. METHOD: Alcohol dependent adults (n = 600) and problem drinkers (n = 992) were identified through probability surveys in the general population and in public and private treatment programs throughout a California county. Participants were interviewed at baseline and again 1, 3 and 5 years later. Models controlling for demographic characteristics, problem severity, community services and recovery-oriented social networks were estimated, using a multi-level, mixed model to predict alcohol consumption over time. RESULTS: A significant trend of reduced drinking over time was observed for both dependent and problem drinkers. Recovery-oriented social networks and AA participation predicted decreased consumption for both groups. Contacts with medical, mental health, welfare and legal systems were predictive of reduced consumption for problem drinkers. In the dependent group, only contacts with mental health agencies marginally predicted decreased consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Findings point to the importance of developing mechanisms for better identifying problem drinkers in the course of contacts with health and social service systems and for facilitating use of self-help groups and positive changes in social networks. Development of recovery-oriented social networks should be emphasized to extend the benefits of treatment for dependent individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Potential development of community oriented HIV outreach among drug injectors in the UK.

Given the current epidemiological and behavioural risk profile of HIV infection among injecting drug users in the UK, the main strategic task continues to be to develop interventions to prevent the spread of HIV infection. Outreach to drug injectors is an important part of the wider UK HIV prevention strategy. This paper reviews critically and reassesses practically the role of outreach interventions among drug injectors in the UK. It is argued that despite the development of innovative outreach activity, the full potential of outreach has not been realized due to its theoretical orientation and in-built structural limitations. Outreach has predominantly operated with an 'individual' orientation, aiming to work with individual clients to help them to change their behaviour, gain access to services, or to become better users of services. The main thesis of this paper is that current outreach provision needs to be complemented by 'community change' models which seek to engender changes in the social etiquette of drug use within communities of drug injectors. The paper argues that the social networks through which HIV may be transmitted are the same social networks that may be coopted for HIV prevention. Future outreach services must turn to these networks as a way of targeting and encouraging changes among broad populations of drug injectors. Such models might use indigenous advocates, working within social networks, supported by community outreach facilitators.

Community Health Services↗
PubMed1993

Otago Women's Health Survey 30-month follow-up. I: Onset patterns of non-psychotic psychiatric disorder.

Women who showed new psychiatric morbidity after a 30-month follow-up of a random community sample of New Zealand women were compared with those who were free of psychiatric disorder at follow-up. There were 25 new cases among the 215 women who were originally not psychiatric cases and who were re-interviewed. Using the weighted back population data to obtain prevalence figures for the general population, 6.9% became new cases over the two and a half years. Those who developed psychiatric disorder initially showed more psychiatric symptoms at a subdiagnostic level. Baseline factors that preceded the onset of psychiatric disorder were being separated or divorced, coming from a large family, having poor social networks, living alone, having few social role responsibilities such as paid employment or motherhood, and having poor physical health. An additional cross-sectional association at follow-up was poor financial security. Good social networks were closely linked with the number of a woman's social roles and appeared to protect her against the onset of psychiatric disorder. Consistent with the initial cross-sectional study, the follow-up data provide no support for marriage and child-care being risk factors for female psychiatric disorder. However, in New Zealand, these factors indicate social integration and are associated with superior mental health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Gender, social relations and mental health: prospective findings from an occupational cohort (Whitehall II study).

Gender differences in social support tend to suggest that women have larger social networks and both give and receive more support than men. Nevertheless, although social support has been identified as protective of mental health, women have higher rates of psychological distress than men. We examine the prospective association between social support and psychological distress by gender in a cohort study of middle aged British Civil Servants, the Whitehall II study. In this sample we found that women have a larger number of close persons than men although men have larger social networks. We also found that the effects of marital status, social support within and outside the workplace and social networks on subsequent occurrence of psychological distress were similar for men and women independently of baseline mental health status.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Influence of general self-efficacy on the effects of a school-based universal primary prevention program of depressive symptoms in adolescents: a randomized and controlled follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Depressive disorders in adolescents are a widespread and increasing problem. Prevention seems a promising and feasible approach. METHODS: We designed a cognitive-behavioral school-based universal primary prevention program and followed 347 eighth-grade students participating in a randomized controlled trial for three months. RESULTS: In line with our hypothesis, participants in the prevention program remained on a low level of depressive symptoms, having strong social networks. The control group showed increasing depressive symptoms and a reduced social network. Contrary to our expectations, students low in self-efficacy benefited more from the program than high self-efficient students. Social network did not mediate the relationship between participation in the prevention program and changes in depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the prevention program had favorable effects. Further research is needed to explore the impact of self-efficacy on the effects of prevention programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Alexithymia, social support and health problems.

This article presents three studies examining whether alexithymia is associated with less perceived and network social support, whether such relationships are accounted for by reduced social skills associated with alexithymia, and whether limited social support links alexithymia to health problems. The relationships between alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale), social variables, and physical health and depression were examined in both healthy young adults and patients. Alexithymia (especially deficits in identifying and communicating feelings) was related to less perceived support, fewer close relationships, and less social skill: the social skills deficit accounted fully for the association between alexithymia and a smaller social network. Additionally, alexithymia was related to both somatic complaints and depression, but social support generally was not. It is concluded that alexithymia is associated with reduced perceived and network social support, that these associations are likely due to alexithymia-related deficiencies in social skills but that reduced social support does not account for the relationship between alexithymia and health problems.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Stressful life events, social support networks, and the physical and mental health of urban black adults.

The direct and the buffering effects of social support networks have been documented, but few studies have examined their health outcomes for blacks and, specifically, the differences in physical and mental health. This study uses six measures of social support to examine the relationships of social support to health outcomes for black males and females. The data are from a community sample of 451 urban black adults. Results show significant differences by sex according to source of social support and particular health outcomes. Number of nearby relatives and perceived social support have direct and buffering effects, respectively, on mental health for black females, but no significant influences emerge for black males. On the other hand, the number of confidants for black males and the degree of religiosity among black females were inversely related to physical health, suggesting differences in conceptual models of social support for mental and physical health.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Self-similar community structure in a network of human interactions.

We propose a procedure for analyzing and characterizing complex networks. We apply this to the social network as constructed from email communications within a medium sized university with about 1700 employees. Email networks provide an accurate and nonintrusive description of the flow of information within human organizations. Our results reveal the self-organization of the network into a state where the distribution of community sizes is self-similar. This suggests that a universal mechanism, responsible for emergence of scaling in other self-organized complex systems, as, for instance, river networks, could also be the underlying driving force in the formation and evolution of social networks.

Algorithms↗