The impact of the Russian transition on psychosocial resources and psychological distress

Abstract

AbstractStudies suggest that the difficult transition of the Russian economy has led to decreased physical health among Russians. However, the impact of economic turmoil on Russians' psychological health has not been examined. We used Hobfoll's (1988; 1998) Conservation of Resources (COR) theory to examine how economic losses deteriorate personal and social resources (e.g., mastery and social support), and how these deteriorated resources, in turn, impact psychological well being. Participants were Russian women working in the retail (n = 99) and medical (n = 99) fields, two poorly paid sectors. Structural equation modeling indicated that economic loss negatively impacted mastery, but not social support. Women with greater mastery and social support resources, in turn, reported less psychological distress. Economic loss had both direct and indirect effects, through mastery, on women's psychological distress. Results supported COR theory and point to the importance of building and sustaining personal and social resources in the face of major economic stress. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.