Feelings Of Social Isolation Research Articles

Preludes of Literary Modernism in Fin-de-siècle Vilnius: Interior Culture and Private Aestheticism Texts

The genesis prerequisites of the early literary Modernism appear in Vilnius during the last decade of the 19th century when the city encountered the first manifestations of the cultural consciousness of the modern liberal bourgeoisie. The first publicist texts of the independent Russian media (in 1898 the dailyСеверо-Западное Слово started circulating), and the architectural discourse of the city (the stylistics of Vilnius Land Bank colonies) witness the classical liberal ideology of modernisation according to which the rational progress of civilisation harmoniously coincides with the individualistic values. The then still very scarce texts of Vilnius Russian and Polish literature and aesthetics were gradually moving away from the positivism of the 19th century towards the expression of modern individualism, bourgeois privacy, value liberalism, and aesthetic refinement. Vilnius literary texts generously depicted aesthetical interiors as private individual space, cultural shades from the dehumanising effect of technical progress (W. Benjamin). Aesthetical, closed interior turns into a semantically crucial space in the Vilnius novels Dwór w Haliniszkach (1903) and Z miłości (1903) by the Polish writer E. Jeleńska-Dmochowska. The private interior fantasies and the feeling of social isolation are clear features of mentality in novellas by the Vilnius Russian writer Yevgeny Shveder (Наброски и силуэты, 1904). The larger part of the early creative period of Kazys Puida should also be attributed to the melancholic discourse of the private aestheticism (Iš sermėgiaus krūtinės, 1906, Ruduo, 1906). The texts by the above authors sporadically demonstrated stylistic features of Parnassian and Decadent aestheticisms. The first collection of Polish poems published in the 20th century in Vilnius, the book Fale by Stanisława Szadurska (1906) also represented some melancholic features of the salon aesthetics and the classical French Parnassus. Still this culture of the liberal, cosmopolitan urban modernity and its literary representations in Vilnius, unlike in the centres of Western and Central European literature remained more fragmental and did not create any prominent conflict resistance to further development of the modern literary consciousness. Thus, they should be regarded as a sporadic prologue of such evolution although typologically these texts correspond to the processes in the large European fin-de-siècle cities.

Maternal experiences of caring for an infant with neurological impairment after neonatal encephalopathy in Uganda: a qualitative study

Purpose: The study investigated maternal experiences of caring for a child affected by neurological impairment after neonatal encephalopathy (NE) (“birth asphyxia”) in Uganda. Methods: Between September 2011 and October 2012 small group and one-on-one in-depths interviews were conducted with mothers recruited to the ABAaNA study examining outcomes from NE in Mulago hospital, Kampala. Data were analysed thematically with the aid of Nvivo 8 software. Findings: Mothers reported caring for an infant with impairment was often complicated by substantial social, emotional and financial difficulties and stigma. High levels of emotional distress, feelings of social isolation and fearfulness about the future were described. Maternal health-seeking ability was exacerbated by high transport costs, lack of paternal support and poor availability of rehabilitation and counselling services. Meeting and sharing experiences with similarly affected mothers was associated with more positive maternal caring experiences. Conclusion: Mothering a child with neurological impairment after NE is emotionally, physically and financially challenging but this may be partly mitigated by good social support and opportunities to share caring experiences with similarly affected mothers. A facilitated, participatory, community-based approach to rehabilitation training may have important impacts on maximising participation and improving the quality of life of affected mothers and infants.Implications for RehabilitationCaring for an infant with neurological impairment after NE in Uganda has substantial emotional, social and financial impacts on families and is associated with high levels of emotional stress, feelings of isolation and stigma amongst mothers.Improved social support and the opportunity to share experiences with other similarly affected mothers are associated with a more positive maternal caring experience. High transport costs, lack of paternal support and poor availability of counselling and support services were barriers to maternal healthcare seeking.Studies examining the feasibility, acceptability and impact of early intervention programmes are warranted to maximise participation and improve the quality of life for affected mothers and their infants.

Dusted Community: Piloting a Virtual Peer-to-Peer Support Community for People with an Asbestos-Related Diagnosis and Their Families

Individuals with an asbestos-related diagnosis and their carers face burdens including debilitating and life-limiting physical symptoms and medico-legal stressors. Feelings of social isolation are common. Increasing social connectedness can lead to increased feelings of personal empowerment and may inhibit chronic stress responses. The authors report on the development, via a process of participatory action research, of an online peer-to-peer support group, and the first 30-day test phase of this virtual community. Initial indications are that individuals with an asbestos-related diagnosis and their carers can benefit, in psychosocial terms, from membership of an on-line support group comprised of experientially similar others.

If you build it will they come? Addressing social isolation within a technology-based HIV intervention for young black men who have sex with men

The rate of HIV infections among young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) continues to rise at an alarming pace. YBMSM are particularly vulnerable to social isolation and a lack of social support due to experiences with racism and homophobia, which may have implications for sexual risk behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of social isolation and sense of community among YBMSM, the need for and receptivity to social networking features designed to reduce social isolation and build community within an Internet- and mobile phone-based primary and secondary HIV prevention intervention for YBMSM and to identify strategies to develop these features. Focus groups were conducted with 22 YBMSM aged 20–30 years at three sites in North Carolina. Data from the focus groups were thematically analyzed using NVivo. Feelings of social isolation and lack of a sense of community were strongly endorsed by participants with homophobia, lack of opportunities for social engagement, and a focus on sex rather than friendship in interpersonal relationships with other YBMSM cited as contributing factors. Participants were receptive to a social networking intervention designed to reduce social isolation and build community. Recommendations offered by participants to increase acceptability and usability of such features included: availability of information about healthy relationships, the ability to connect with other YBMSM and health care providers, and ensuring the site had ongoing facilitation by the study team as well as monitoring for inappropriate content. The development of a social networking feature of an HIV prevention intervention may present an opportunity to reduce social isolation, build community, and reduce risky sexual behaviors among YBMSM. The findings from this study are being used to inform the development of a social networking feature for an existing Internet- and mobile phone-based primary and secondary HIV prevention intervention for YBMSM.

Health-related quality of life in older age and a risk of being a victim of domestic violence

Violence against older people remains a taboo topic in Poland, and is still an under-recognized phenomenon. The aim of this study was to examine the risk of different types of domestic violence in older people in relation to their health-related quality of life as measured by chronic conditions, functional limitations, psychological well-being, depressive symptoms and feelings of social isolation. A cross-sectional study using a standardized questionnaire in a simple random sample of 518 older citizens of Krakow was carried out. A multidimensional logistic regression of data showed that such factors as poor assessment of psychological health, number of chronic conditions, suffering from emotional and social loneliness and lack of social support in everyday life significantly increased the risk of being a victim of domestic violence in older citizens of Krakow.

Ethno-cultural diversity in the experience of widowhood in later life: Chinese widows in Canada

This paper utilizes Helena Znaniecka Lopata's concept of life frameworks as a lens through which to understand the experience of widowhood amongst elderly Chinese immigrant women living in Toronto, Canada. While Lopata defined life frameworks as including social supports, social relations and social roles, for these widows, personal resources (framed in Chinese cultural context) were also important aspects of life frameworks. In-depth interviews with 20 widows contacted through a Chinese community center were conducted in Mandarin and Cantonese and then transcribed and interpreted through team-based qualitative analyses. These women ranged in age from 69 to 93years and had been in Canada an average of 17years, with over half of them widowed following immigration. Our analysis framed the widows' narratives in terms of four types of supports defined by Lopata: social, service, financial and emotional supports. They had fairly extensive social and service supports focused primarily around family and the Chinese community. Although norms of filial piety traditionally dictate sons as primary supports, daughters predominated as providers of supports to these widows. Interpreted from a life course perspective, financial supports were deemed sufficient, despite overall limited financial means. Emotional support was more nuanced and complex for these widows. Loneliness and feelings of social isolation were prevalent. Nevertheless, themes of acceptance and satisfaction dominated our findings, as did reciprocity and exchange. The narrative accounts of these widows depict a complexity of experience rooted in their biographies as Chinese women and as immigrants, rather than primarily in widowhood itself.

Translation, adaptation and data quality of a Danish version of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers

The burden of caregiving can have various negative consequences. There is a need for health professionals to be able to measure the burden of caregiving among relatives of end-stage cancer patients in a valid way. The Burden Scale for Family Caregivers (BSFC) has 28 items and was developed as a clinical tool for measuring the self-reported burden among family caregivers caring for a relative at home. To make a standardized translation of the English version of the BSFC into a Danish version and to report data quality in a group of Danish family caregivers caring for palliative care cancer patients. The BSFC was translated following WHO guidelines. Ninety family caregivers of end-stage cancer patients were sent BSFC as part of a larger questionnaire. A total of 75 (83%) returned the questionnaire. Excluding responses with two or more missing items, 58 (64%) participants completed the BSFC. The words 'care', 'caregiving' and 'caregiver' were a challenge to the translators. The item response was moderate with missing answers from 4.0 to 18.7%. For the total sum-score, mean perceived burden amongst participants was low (mean score 23.56 of max 84.00). Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 and average inter-item correlation 0.26. Item-rest correlations ranged from -0.02 to 0.72 and were below 0.40 for seven items. High scores on the BSFC was statistically significantly correlated with the feeling of social isolation (ρ = -0.332, p = 0.013) and with the dyspnoea subscale of the EORTC-QLQ-15-PAL (ρ = 0.322, p = 0.012) but not with poor self-reported health (ρ = -0.036, p = 0.805). The BSFC was translated into Danish and showed problems with some data quality and validity measures. Hence, further psychometric testing on a larger population is needed before the scale can be recommended as a sum-scale for scientific and clinical use.

Entre a lua e a rua: uma topologia social da clandestinidade política na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, 1969-1973

Durante o regime ditatorial que se seguiu ao golpe de 1964 no Brasil, as ações de resistência desenvolveram-se basicamente nas cidades. Nos testemunhos de antigos militantes, a clandestinidade política é correntemente associada a metáforas do “exílio dentro da cidade”, experiências de isolamento social. Mas na sociabilidade dos clandestinos, a despeito do forte contexto repressivo, não se teria verificado também alguma forma de “vida pública”? A presente pesquisa, realizada a partir de entrevistas com 50 ex-militantes, propõe-se a discutir tal questão. As narrativas reunidas denotam que, a despeito do movimento permanente de destruição de arenas públicas que configurou o autoritarismo, os comportamentos adaptativos por parte dos clandestinos e dos indivíduos que com eles interagiam resultaram na frequente constituição de “consensos operacionais” na definição de situações de interação, consensos estes pautados na gestão das distâncias tanto políticas como culturais.

Screening for scoliosis

Idiopathic scoliosis affects 2-3% of adolescents. Large, progressing deformities, mostly present in girls, may lead to pulmonary complications, pain symptoms, the feeling of social isolation, and even mental disorders. The correlation of screening programs with surgery rate reduction and the clinical effectiveness of bracing remain a matter of debate. Critics indicate overdetection, qualification for therapy of insignificant curves, unjustified treatment, and risks of psychological side effects, whereas supporters underline the need for screening, and suggest improvements. It remains unclear whether such opposite opinions are based on sound evidence. To identify relevant studies, guidelines, and recommendations, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. The levels of evidence presented in selected studies and grading of recommendations reported in available guidelines and recommendation statements were assessed using the SIGN scoring system. Screening programs are legislated, recommended, or not recommended in different American states. British and Canadian screening recommendations do not mention scoliosis; Australian boards recommend against scoliosis screening programs. Other publications such as Singapore, Turkish, and Malaysian publications underline the cost-effectiveness and clinical importance of the procedures. Different Greek authors postulate the benefits and harms caused by the programs to many schoolchildren. Such a polarity illustrates the topicality of the quality of scientific evidence analyses and the significance of the grading of the recommendations process. It appears that critical opinions often result from implementing such analyses, whereas those supporting the programs tend to value the importance of expert opinions.

Navigating the Doctoral Experience: The Role of Social Support in Successful Degree Completion

Introduction The doctoral degree is considered the pinnacle of education, and it is pursued by nearly 100,000 students in the U.S. (Carnegie Classification, n.d.). Doctoral students are among the best and brightest students, having championed the highly competitive selection process (Ali & Kohun, 2006; Gilliam & Kitronis, 2006). However, 50% of doctoral students will not finish their degree (Walker, Golde, Jones, Bueschel, & Hutchings, 2008), and 40,000 drop out every year (Ali & Kohun, 2007). In fact, many leave their programs in the first year (Esping, 2010; Lovitts, 2001). Doctoral student attrition is a silent epidemic in the U.S. (Ali & Kohun, 2007; Lovitts, 2001). Through empirical investigation, researchers have found that doctoral student attrition is linked to two main factors, stress (Lovitts, 2001) and feelings of social isolation (Ali & Kohun, 2006; Hawlery, 2003; Lewis, Ginsberg, Davies, & Smith, 2004). First, with regard to stress, doctoral students typically ... face enormous demands upon their time, energy, intelligence, endurance, patience, and organizational skills (Committee on the College Student, 2000, p. 1); all of which heighten their stress level. Greater stress is experienced when it involves multiple and persistent stressors, rather than a single event (Cohen & Wills, 1985). Doctoral students are significantly more stressed than the general public, and they report that their stress is mainly attributed to their graduate programs (Cahir & Morris, 1991). The stressors of doctoral study include relative poverty, anxiety, sleeplessness, academic demands, fear of failure, examinations, and time constraints (Bowman & Bowman, 1990; Esping, 2010). Additionally, doctoral students also find themselves having to manage the socialization into their new roles, building and maintaining new relationships, and creating their professional identity (Golde, 1998; Lee, 2009; Weidman, Twale, & Stein, 2001). Because of these demands placed on doctoral students, their stress levels persist, and even increase, as they progress through their programs (Cahir & Morris, 1991). The second factor linked to doctoral student attrition is the feeling of social isolation, which refers to the absence of meaningful social connections (Hortulanus, Machielse, & Meeuwesen, 2006; Lovitts, 2001). The social connections that are important for doctoral students include those with fellow students, faculty members, and their superiors (Ali & Kohun, 2007). Feelings of social isolation stem from confusion about program expectations and miscommunication (or a lack of communication) with their peers and faculty (Ali & Kohun, 2006; Lovitts, 2001). Social isolation is often exacerbated by being in a new, unfamiliar, and stressful environment, all of which are traits common to doctoral programs (Ali & Kohun, 2007; Lovitts, 2001). Literature Review Social Support A construct termed social support can offer doctoral students a sense of refuge by reducing both stress and feelings of social isolation (Ali & Kohun, 2006; Hadjioannou, Shelton, Fu, & Dhanarattigannon, 2007). Social support typically stems from people to whom one is socially tied (e.g., family members and friends) and is defined as what they say and do regarding stressful events (Lakey & Orehek, 2011, p. 482). A social support network is comprised of several individuals within one's environment who influence one's perceptions of his or her environment and might include family members, friends, and co-workers (Kelly, 2005). Social support can take various forms, including emotional support (attempts to alleviate negative affect), professional support (mentoring and guidance), and practical support (money or help with task completion) (Heller & Rook, 1997; House, 1981; Nelson & Brice, 2008; Rosenholtz, 1989; Schaefer, Coyne, & Lazarus, 1981; Singh & Billingsley, 1998). …

Poor Vision, Functioning, and Depressive Symptoms: A Test of the Activity Restriction Model

This study tested the applicability of the activity restriction model of depressed affect to the context of poor vision in late life. This model hypothesizes that late-life stressors contribute to poorer mental health not only directly but also indirectly by restricting routine everyday functioning. We used data from a national probability-based sample of older adults (N = 1,178; M = 69.2 years, approximately 50% female). Vision was assessed both subjectively (via self-report) and objectively (via a visual acuity test). Respondents also reported on their levels of physical and driving limitations, feelings of social isolation, and symptoms of depression. Path analyses indicated a strong fit of the data to the activity restriction model for subjective vision. In addition to directly contributing to higher depressive symptomatology, subjective vision contributed to depressive symptoms indirectly by predicting more physical limitations and feelings of social isolation that, in turn, contributed to more symptoms of depression; driving limitations did not mediate the relationship between subjective vision and depressive symptomatology. Objective vision contributed significantly to physical and driving limitations but was unrelated to feelings of social isolation and depressive symptomatology. Supporting the activity restriction model, poorer self-rated vision in late life contributes to lower mental health directly and also indirectly by restricting individuals' ability to carry out routine day-to-day physical activities and increasing their feelings of social isolation. Interventions for older adults with vision-related problems could focus on maintaining or enhancing their physical and social functioning in order to promote their adaptation to poor vision.

African American perceptions of heart disease and nutrition in Arizona

African Americans have the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in Arizona. The project identified perceptions and knowledge of heart disease among African Americans aged 25–60 years through 15 focus groups (FG). A total of 104 men (44%) and women (56%) completed the focus groups and questionnaires on dietary intakes, behavioral risk factors, neighborhood characteristics, and ethnic identity. Analysis revealed the following qualitative themes: 1) recognition of the role of diet in heart disease etiology; 2) acknowledgment of poor eating habits due to lack of time and money; 3) inability to make traditional foods healthy; 4) healthy foods were readily available in their neighborhoods; 5) feelings of social isolation because African Americans are dispersed over metro Phoenix area. In terms of risk factors, the majority of the sample was overweight or obese. The prevalence of smoking was significantly higher in men (58%) than in women (26%) (p.000). Fifty‐one percent of the men exceeded dietary recommendations for fat intake in comparison to 30% of the women. Few people reported eating Soul Foods regularly, except for greens or fried fish, which were consumed at least 2–3 times per month by 50% of the sample. These findings suggest points to improve health education based on existing knowledge and perceptions. Funding was provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Parenting stress in mothers after very preterm birth and the effect of the Infant Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Program

Purpose of this study was to examine maternal parenting stress as a secondary outcome of the Infant Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP). In a randomized controlled trial 86 very preterm infants and their parents were assigned to the intervention group and 90 to the control group. Maternal parenting stress was assessed with the Dutch version of the Parenting Stress Index at 12 and 24 months post term. Mothers in the intervention group mothers assessed their infants as happier and less hyperactive/distractible compared with the control group mothers. However, mothers in the intervention group reported more feelings of social isolation. The IBAIP appears to have made mothers more satisfied about their infants' mood and distractibility, but also may have evoked more feelings of social isolation. Next to long-term evaluation of the development in very preterm born children, follow-up on functioning of their parents is important.

Mistreatment and Psychological Well-being Among Older Adults: Exploring the Role of Psychosocial Resources and Deficits

To examine the relationships between psychosocial resources and deficits, elder mistreatment, and psychological well-being. We used a representative sample of 2,744 older adults aged 57-85 years in the United States from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project. We examined reports of any mistreatment (verbal, financial, or physical) and multiple types of mistreatment. Lower levels of positive support, higher levels of criticism from close relationships, and feelings of social isolation are positively associated with self-reported mistreatment experience. As suggested by the stress process theory, those who reported mistreatment experience also reported lower levels of global happiness and higher levels of psychological distress. There is also some evidence for the buffering hypothesis--levels of global happiness are higher and levels of psychological distress are lower for older adults who reported any mistreatment if they also reported more positive social support, social participation, and feelings of social connection. Older adults with fewer psychosocial resources or more psychosocial deficits seem to be more vulnerable to mistreatment, and mistreatment seems particularly detrimental to psychological well-being for these people.

Declines in Marital Satisfaction Among New Mothers: Broad Strokes Versus Fine Details

Key Words: life events and/or transitions, National Survey of Families and Households, parenthood, wives' employment. Dew and Wilcox (2011), in this issue, provide important insights into the family and marital changes that may accompany the transition to motherhood for American women. Using the first two waves of National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH; Sweet, Bumpass, & Call, 1988), Dew and Wilcox examined 569 married women, 347 of whom became mothers for the first time between Wave 1 and Wave 2. Consistent with previous research (e.g., Belsky, 1985; Cowan et al., 1985), women who became mothers were more likely to experience a decline in self-reported marital satisfaction, a decline in time spent with their spouses, and increased perceptions of inequality of housework than were women who did not become mothers. Dew and Wilcox also found support for a mediated model in which the decline in new mothers' marital satisfaction could be attributed to accompanying changes in spousal time and perceived unfairness in housework. Also consistent with previous research (e.g., Belsky & Rovine, 1990), Dew and Wilcox (2011) report that marital satisfaction did not decline for all new mothers. Strikingly, the proportions of mothers whose marital satisfaction remained stable or increased over time were not different from those of women who did not have children. In fact, becoming a mother was directly related to marital satisfaction in only two of the six models that Dew and Wilcox examined. In models that included changes in spousal time, housework, and/or unfairness, the transition to parenthood no longer accounted for unique variance in satisfaction. Dew and Wilcox (2011) succeed in beginning to address the social and psychological complexity of changes that accompany the transition to parenthood. We were particularly intrigued with findings suggesting that, for many women, feelings of social isolation may accompany new motherhood. For example, new mothers spent less time with their spouses, less time in paid employment, and more time in housework, and in turn they were less satisfied in their marriage. Findings also indicated that women's interpretations of household changes were important to consider. Specifically, new mothers' increased time spent on housework was associated with increased feelings of unfairness in the division of household labor, and that perceived unfairness was linked to decreased marital satisfaction. Thus, the broad strokes of the Dew and Wilcox (2011) study both replicate and extend existing research. They addressed interesting questions about the factors contributing to self-reported marital decline for new mothers; however, although the study offers a broad perspective on this significant area of research, we found important details and complexities to be blurred. We were particularly concerned about details in three areas: the nature of the study sample, the measurement of key constructs, and the statistical analysis of change processes. SAMPLE LIMITATIONS The replication of key findings from the transition to parenthood literature in a larger, more representative sample has the potential to extend the literature. Much of the early research was rooted in samples that were primarily European American, well educated, and middle to upper class. In contrast, the NSFH was designed to be nationally representative, and it oversampled both African American and Mexican American participants. Unfortunately, the current subsample of the NSFH was both more homogeneous than the larger sample and more similar to previous samples than would be ideal. As a result of both attrition and inclusion criteria, Dew and Wilcox (2011) examined a subsample that was 90% European American, had higher incomes, worked more, were older, had more education, spent more time with their husbands, and had greater marital satisfaction than did the women lost to attrition or divorce. …

Reliability and Validity of the Suffering Scale of Family of Patients with Terminal Cancer

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of an instrument to measure suffering of family of patients with terminal cancer. Methods: This research was a methodological study processed as follows: 1) The preliminary 32 items were developed based a conceptual framework of suffering for patients with cancer. 2) The content was validated by an expert panel (n=24) and the family of patients with terminal cancers (n=33). 3) The instrument was validated by survey (n=92). Finally, 29 items were selected in developing final version of the scale. Results: Seven factors were extracted through factor analysis: ‘economical distress’, ‘loss of meaning in life’, ‘feeling of social isolation’, ‘emotional distress’, ‘burnout’, ‘guilty feeling’, and ‘physical discomfort’. These factors explained 66.94% of the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha and Guttman Split-half coefficient of the 29 items were .93 and .92. respectively. Conclusion: This scale identified as a valid and reliable tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. It can be effectively utilized to assess the degree of suffering of family in palliative care settings.

Stigmatizing Experiences of Parents of Children With a New Diagnosis of ADHD

The experiences of parents of a child who received an initial diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were examined to determine the ways in which they may have encountered stigmatizing situations. Forty-eight parents of children aged six to 18 years were interviewed about their experiences leading up to their child's ADHD diagnosis, including their decisions to seek treatment. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory methods. Codes were identified using a constant comparative approach, which led to theoretically defined thematic constructs of stigma. Stigmatizing experiences were noted by 77% of the sample. Nearly half (N=21, 44%) were concerned about how society would label their child, 40% (N=19) felt social isolation and rejection, and 21% (N=10) perceived health care professionals and school personnel as being dismissive of their concerns. Parents' own attitudes about ADHD treatment were shaped by their exposure to negative media (N=10, 21%), their mistrust of medical assessments (N=8, 17%), and the influence of general public views (N=3, 6%). These stigmatizing views were related to parental concerns about the impact that diagnosis and treatment would have on their child's self-esteem and opportunities for future success. The range of ways in which parents in the study experienced stigma highlights the need for multiple perspectives for community outreach and public health programs that are aimed at addressing and eliminating mental health stigma. Even though stigma is a well-established barrier to mental health service use, the anticipated benefits of treatment may outweigh parents' experiences with stigma.

Inflammation and social experience: An inflammatory challenge induces feelings of social disconnection in addition to depressed mood

Although research has established links between feelings of social isolation and inflammation, the direction of these effects is unclear. Based on the role that proinflammatory cytokines play in initiating “sickness behavior,” which includes symptoms such as social withdrawal, it is possible that inflammatory processes heighten feelings of ‘social disconnection.’ Here, we examined whether exposure to an inflammatory challenge increased self-reported feelings of social disconnection. In addition, because both inflammatory processes and feelings of social disconnection contribute to depressive symptoms, we also explored whether increases in feelings of social disconnection played a role in the link between inflammation and depressed mood. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive endotoxin, an inflammatory challenge, or placebo. Proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) were collected at baseline and then hourly for 6 h. Participants completed self-reports of sickness symptoms (“fatigue”), social disconnection (“I feel disconnected from others”), and depressed mood (“unhappy”) hourly. Results revealed that endotoxin led to significant increases (from baseline) in IL-6 and TNF-α levels as well as feelings of social disconnection and depressed mood. Moreover, controlling for increases in social disconnection eliminated the relationship between exposure to inflammatory challenge and depressed mood. This study demonstrates that inflammation can have social psychological consequences, which may play a role in cytokine-related depressive symptoms.

Depression in older nursing home residents: The influence of nursing home environmental stressors, coping, and acceptance of group and individual therapy

Based on in-depth interviews with 65 older nursing home residents, this study examined the residents’ own understanding and perceptions of depressive symptoms, causes of their depression, their self-reported coping strategies, and their preferences for acceptable depression interventions. About half (n = 32) of all interviewees stated that they were either feeling depressed or experiencing negative affects. The major themes related to the causes of their depression were loss of independence, freedom and continuity with their past life; feelings of social isolation and loneliness; lack of privacy and frustration at the inconvenience of having a roommate and sharing a bathroom; loss of autonomy due to the institutional regimen and regulations; ambivalence toward cognitively impaired residents; ever-present death and grief; staff turnover and shortage; and stale programming and lack of meaningful in-house activities. Self-reported coping mechanisms included religion and stoicism, a sense of reality, positive attitude and family support. In regard to depression treatment, the interviewees appeared to prefer nursing home programs that reduce their isolation over group or individual psychotherapy.

Youth with Disabilities: A Standardized Self-Portrait of How They are Faring

There are approximately 10 million youth living with a disability in the United States. While their educational needs have been increasingly successfully addressed for the past quarter century, concern has been emerging that other priorities are being overlooked, especially those needed for successful independent living after they leave school. Thus, the primary purpose of this research project was to assess levels of health and well-being in a sample of youth with disabilities, in order to gain insight into their lives and self-perceptions. To accomplish this, 90 youths with disabilities were interviewed using the Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition, a standardized instrument that incorporates multidimensional measures of well-being. Results indicate that these youth have high levels of self-esteem, self-satisfaction, academic achievement, and overall resiliency. They also report, however, feelings of social isolation, and higher levels of individual risk taking behaviors and unemployment. Recommendations for future research and practice implications are provided.