Forms Of Social Support Research Articles

Factors affecting parental role adaptation in parents of preterm infants after discharge: a cross-sectional study.

Parenting a preterm infant can be incredibly challenging and stressful, particularly in the first year after discharge. Desirable parental role adaptation leads to appropriate parenting behaviors and parent-infant interaction, which are essential to child health and development. To investigate the level of parental role adaptation and its influencing factors among parents of preterm infants in the first year after hospital discharge according to Belsky's parenting process model among parents of preterm infants in the first year after hospital discharge. A cross-sectional study design was adopted using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Parental Role Adaptation Scale (PRAS) in parents with preterm infants, the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), the Coping Adaptation Processing Scale (CAPS-15), and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, Spearman correlation analyses, and multivariate linear regression were used to analyze the data. In total, 300 Chinese parents were included in the analysis. In the multivariate analysis, first-time parent (p = 0.003), master's degree and above (p = 0.042), coping adaptation processing (p = 0.000), residence location (towns: p = 0.019, city: p = 0.028), monthly family income (6000-10,000: p = 0.000, >10,000: p = 0.000), and perceived social support (p = 0.001) were all significant predictors of parental role adaptation and collectively accounted for 56.8% of the variation in parental role adaptation of parents with preterm infants (F = 16.473, p < 0.001). Coping adaptation processing mediated the relationship between perceived social support and parental role adaptation (95% bootstrap CI = 0.022, 0.130). Chinese parents of preterm infants experience a moderate level of parental role adaptation when their child is discharged from the hospital to home. Parents who are not first-time parents, have master's degrees or above, live in towns or cities, have higher coping and adaptation abilities, have high monthly family income, and greater perceived social support have a higher level of parental role adaptation. Healthcare providers should pay more attention to parents with low socioeconomic status and encourage them to improve their coping and adaptation abilities and to utilize their formal and informal social support networks.

Lived Experiences in the Life World of Korean Emerging Adults with Foster Care Backgrounds: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis

The purpose of this study was to synthesize and interpret the findings of previous qualitative studies that investigated the lived experiences of Korean emerging adults who aged out of the foster care system. Based on our selection criteria, we extracted and analyzed 14 papers that were published between 2010 to 2023. Our meta-synthesis found that the emerging adults’ life world consisted of seven domains: family experience, life tasks, education and work, financial issues, home and family, interpersonal relationships, and psychological and emotional issues. We restructured the emerging adults’ lived experiences using van Manen’s concepts of lived time, lived space, lived things, lived self-other, and lived body. Our meta-synthesis revealed that these emerging adults experienced multidimensional difficulties due to shortcomings of formal and informal social support after aging out of the foster care system. Their difficulties accumulated in their interaction with lived time. Based on the level of their accumulated difficulties, we categorized the emerging adults into stable, struggling, and isolated groups. However, it is important to note that many of them adapted to their own life world and strived to move forward. This qualitative meta-synthesis provides a comprehensive understanding and new interpretation of emerging adults who transition from foster care to independent living in the context of Korea.

Prężność psychiczna matek dzieci ze spektrum zaburzeń autystycznych (ASD) a spostrzegane wsparcie społeczne

Introduction: Social support is a significant moderator of quality of life. Psychological resilience is a personal resource that promotes adaptation to life challenges. Research Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the association between the level of psychological resilience of mothers of children with diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their perceived formal social support. Formal support is understood as a form of institutional assistance provided to children and mothers as part of using the services of the Early Intervention Center. Method: One hundred and forty-three mothers of children with ASD were surveyed using the Resilience Scale (SPP-25) and the Questionnaire for Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Results: Mothers of children with ASD had a higher level of psychological resilience compared to the standardised group. Mothers with higher levels of psychological resilience perceived social support better. Conclusions: The study emphasises the need to develop psychological resilience in mothers of children with ASD, which may contribute to coping more effectively with the challenges of motherhood when faced with a child’s disability.

Comparing Caregiving Outcomes Among Male and Female Parents of Autistic Adults

This study compared aging male and female parents of autistic adults to determine if self-reported caregiver health, quality of life, caregiver burden, informal social support, and formal social support differ between the two groups. Fifty-seven female caregivers and 57 male caregivers were selected using data from a larger study. T-tests for independent samples compared dependent variables between female and male parents. Statistically significant differences were found on four dependent variables, self-reported health, quality of life, overall caregiver burden, and emotional burden. Male parents had better self-reported health, greater quality of life, and less emotional burden, while female parents experienced greater overall caregiver burden. Social workers and other professionals should be cognizant of differences experienced by aging caregivers when providing tailored support and services.

Social support and negative emotions of Chinese older adults: Comparison of those who had been widowed to those with a spouse

We investigated the association between social support and negative emotions in Chinese people aged 65 years and over, by comparing those who still had a spouse with those who had been widowed. Data were drawn from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Health and Longevity Survey of Elders. The results showed that there were significant differences between those who were widowed and those whose spouse was still alive in terms of the negative emotions of uselessness and loneliness, but not anxiety. The more informal and formal social support (excluding economic support and medical insurance) these older adults had, the fewer negative emotions they felt. These findings provide theoretical and practical insights for scholars who are researching the topic of old age, and also offer practical insights for older adults to maintain their health.

The relationship between marital status and cognitive impairment in Chinese older adults: the multiple mediating effects of social support and depression

BackgroundMarital status is a potentially essential factor for cognitive impairment. Relevant research examining the potential pathways through which the marital status of spouseless older people is associated with cognitive impairment needs to be more adequate. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the serial mediating effects of various forms of social support and depression between marital status and cognitive impairment in older Chinese people.MethodsThis study involved a secondary analysis of data from the 2014–2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), with a total of 2,647 Chinese older adults and 53.6% being males. Mediation analysis using the SPSS process macro was conducted.ResultsThe results indicated that marital status was significantly predictive of cognitive impairment among older people, and those with a spouse exhibited higher cognitive functioning. Informal social support and depression were found to play partial mediating roles in the association between marital status and cognitive impairment. The findings also revealed that marital status was unrelated to formal social support, and no association between formal social support and cognitive impairment was found.ConclusionsThe study findings highlight the need for social service providers to design programs for promoting connections associated with informal support to reduce their risk of depression and cognitive impairment and for policymakers to develop effective formal social support systems for older people without spouses. This study indicated that older people could regain the benefits of marriage to lower the risk of depression and improve their mental health.

Longitudinal validation of cognitive reserve proxy measures: a cohort study in a rural Chinese community

BackgroundWhile evidence supports cognitive reserve (CR) in preserving cognitive function, longitudinal validation of CR proxies, including later-life factors, remains scarce. This study aims to validate CR’s stability over time and its relation to cognitive function in rural Chinese older adults.MethodsWithin the project on the health status of rural older adults (HSRO), the survey included baseline assessment (2019) and follow-up assessment (2022). 792 older adults (mean age: 70.23 years) were followed up. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was constructed using cognitive reserve proxies that included years of formal education, social support, hobbies, and exercise. We examined the longitudinal validity of the CR factor using confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance and explored the association of CR with cognition using Spearman’s correlation and Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE).ResultsThe results showed that CR’s CFA structure was stable over time (T0, χ2/df: 3.21/2; RMSEA: 0.02, and T1, χ2/df: 7.47/2; RMSEA: 0.05) and that it accepted both configural and metric invariance (Δχ2/df = 2.28/3, P = 0.52). In addition, it was found that CR had a stable positive relationship with cognitive function across time (T0, r = 0.54; T1, r = 0.49). Furthermore, longitudinal CR were associated with MMSE (β = 2.25; 95%CI = 2.01 ~ 2.49).ConclusionsThis study provided valuable evidence on the stability and validity of cognitive reserve proxy measures in rural Chinese older adults. Our findings suggested that cognitive reserve is associated with cognitive function over time and highlighted the importance of accumulating cognitive reserve in later life.

The functioning of European social protection systems in fulfilling the needs of persons with disabilities during COVID-19 – a semi-systematic review

Previous research has shown that pre-existing social and economic inequalities deepened during the COVID–19 pandemic. Persons with disabilities were among the most affected social groups. This article focuses on the social support that persons with disabilities and their families received during the coronavirus pandemic in Europe. A semi-systematic literature review was conducted: 578 records were identified, and 31 empirical papers were included. Four themes emerged from thematic analysis: (1) challenges in formal social support and care, (2) challenges in informal social support and care, (3) access to information and assistive technology, (4) positive practices, innovative methods and opportunities. In public policy, health-related needs overshadowed the needs to be met by the social support system, revealing the already existing dysfunctions of social protection systems.

Social Experiences and Health Needs of Patients with Severe Mental Illness and their Caregivers during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Background The strict isolation measures for the population imposed by the health authorities caused a prolonged disruption of informal social support networks. Both this new social situation and the decrease in accessibility to health care have generated new needs in people with severe mental illness (SMI) and their caregivers. Objectives This study provides insight into life experiences and health needs of a population with SMI during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. Methods Qualitative design using semi-structured dyadic interviews, conducted from January through December 2022. A purposive sampling of patients with SMI and their caregivers was carried out through key informants in rural and urban localities in southern Spain. Verbatims were identified and classified by triangulation after the evaluation of the interview transcripts. The codes were defined through content analysis using the NVivo software. Results Semi-structured dyadic interviews (21), identifying three main categories: 1. Social isolation: increased, causing greater personal vulnerability, exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms and exhaustion in caregivers. 2. Accessibility to Health Services : decreased with fewer face-to-face consultations, with difficulty in managing urgent situations and telephone attention in decompensated and disabled patients. 3. Continuity of healthcare: decreased with distrust in health professionals due to lack of communication between primary care and the hospital Conclusion COVID-19 confinement exacerbated loneliness and worse health self-perception in SMI people. Greater formal social support was required. GPs role is key to avoiding delays in appointments and lack of coordination between primary and specialised care.

‘They didn’t look at me with good eyes' – experiences of the socioeconomic impact of tuberculosis and support needs among adults in a semi-rural area in Mozambique: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis is recognised as a disease of the economically disadvantaged people due to its association with financial vulnerability. Mozambique still faces the challenge of the high burden of TB and associated costs. We aimed to understand the social and economic impacts of TB and the need for social support among people with TB in Mozambique. We conducted a qualitative study using a phenomenological approach focusing on the lived experiences and perceptions of people with TB. A total of 52 semi-structured one-to-one in-depth interviews were conducted and data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes were drawn from the analysis: (i) TB has a social and economic impact that requires adaptation and resourcefulness amongst those affected; (ii) People with TB have different preferences and needs for social support, and (iii) People with TB have different knowledge of, and experiences with, formal social support. TB affects family and community relationships mainly due to impacts on the household’s finances. People with TB in Mozambique are not entitled to any form of social support, and they need to rely on help from family and the community which is often insufficient. Further investigation is needed on how social support schemes can be developed in Mozambique.

Leadership Behaviors of Frontline Nurse Managers: A Mixed-Methods Research Study Identifying Essential Areas for Social Support.

This study examined how frontline nurse managers (FLNMs) perceive and experience formal and informal social support and how personal factors and social support relate to their transformational leadership (TL) behaviors. Ineffective leadership by FLNMs is associated with costly outcomes. Evidence suggests that leadership development is a function of personal and social factors; however, a better understanding of this process is needed. A convergent mixed-methods design was used. The quantitative strand included a cross-sectional survey in a sample of FLNMs. The qualitative strand used a semistructured interview and a descriptive qualitative approach with a subset of this sample. Formal and informal social support is positively related to the TL behaviors of FLNMs as evidenced by the convergent data. The influence of family members in the work-related decisions of FLNMs has been underreported in the literature and is an area for consideration in supporting retention and desired leadership behaviors. The findings of this study imply a need for organizations to establish systems that endorse the growth of FLNMS, create opportunities for career advancement, and integrate members of the FLNMs' personal support systems into recognition initiatives.

An Assessment of Social Well-being of the Elderly in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria

The paper focused on the Assessment of Social Well-being of the Elderly in Ovia North-East Local Government Area Edo State. It specifically examined social supports for the elderly; it accessed how the family members render social supports for the elderly; it accessed the relevance of the informal caregivers to the elderly; it also investigated how neglect affect the well-being of the elderly and examined the causes of neglect of the elderly. It was found that a majority of people have good intention towards the welfare of the elderly. The main source of income and care of the elderly was mainly from their family members. The various forms of informal social support and certain demographic characteristics predicted the wellbeing of the elderly. The elderly would prefer a combination of both formal and informal social support. It is recommended that all stakeholders involved in the welfare of the elderly should deliberately make adequate efforts to adopt a proactive approach rather than reactive approach in the health of the elderly persons. Keywords: Care, Elderly. Support, Welfare, Well-being

RACIAL AND ETHNIC VARIATIONS IN THE EFFECTS OF KNOWING ABOUT ONE’S DIAGNOSTIC LABEL OF DEMENTIA ON SOCIAL SUPPORT

Abstract Theoretically, knowing about one’s diagnostic label of dementia may increase a chance to receive necessary social support. However, empirical evidence especially regarding the racial/ethnic variations in the effects of diagnostic labeling on provision of social support is lacking. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, 2000-2018) were utilized to examine variations in the effects of knowing about a diagnostic labeling. A total of 7,192 person-year observations who had dementia were included in the analysis. Knowledge about a diagnostic label of dementia was measured by asking whether a doctor told the person that he/she had dementia. Formal and informal types of received social support were measured. Regression analyses with inverse probability weighting were performed. A moderating role of race/ethnicity was examined by conducting subgroup analyses. Knowing about a diagnostic label significantly increased likelihood of having more informal (OR = 1.58, p &amp;lt; 0.001, 95% CI = [1.34, 1.86]) and formal support (b = 0.09, p &amp;lt; 0.001, 95% CI = [0.05, 0.13]). The significant effect of a diagnostic label on formal support was not observed among non-Hispanic Black (b = 0.07, p = 0.086, 95% CI = [-0.01, 0.15]) or Hispanic (b = 0.07, p = 0.152, 95% CI = [-0.03, 0.16]) individuals. Results suggest that knowing about a diagnostic label of ADRD may increase informal and formal social support. However, the beneficial impacts may not be salient for non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic individuals. Strategies to maximize the beneficial effects of diagnostic labeling should be identified to address racial/ethnic disparities.

USING A “TEAMING” (ENHANCED SOCIAL SUPPORT) APPROACH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RISE ELDER ABUSE AND SELF-NEGLECT INTERVENTION

Abstract Our understanding of what intervention strategies are effective in improving the well-being of older adults experiencing elder abuse and self-neglect (EASN) is severely limited. However, data consistently demonstrate that social support is a protective factor. As a component of a larger community-based EASN intervention, RISE, this study examined the use of a method called “teaming,” a wraparound approach to establish sustained formal and informal social supports surrounding victims and alleged harmers in EASN cases. Qualitative interviews and a focus group were conducted with the original pilot cohort of RISE “advocate” caseworkers (n = 4). A descriptive phenomenological approach involving two independent assessors was used to code transcripts into themes. Three domains were identified: (1) team and support forming process, which describes the development of a supportive network based on each client’s needs; (2) techniques, which refers to the specific strategies advocates utilized to promote collectivity and shared responsibility around the client; and (3) implementation challenges, which discusses the difficulties advocates encountered when using teaming with people experiencing EASN. The experiences of advocates suggest that teaming is a beneficial approach to support the individualized needs of each client, and to promote improved and sustainable case outcomes for clients. This study represents the first in-depth exploration of teaming in the context of EASN intervention.

Formal social support and quality of life of caregivers with autistic children: a large-scale nationwide survey in China.

Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were reported poor quality of life (QOL). Formal social support might improve the QOL of caregivers, however, limited research to date has focused on this association in China and formal social support for this group is conspicuously lacking. The study was aim to understand the QOL in male and female caregivers with ASD children in China and to explore the relationship between QOL and formal social support for caregivers with children with ASD through a large-scale nationwide survey. An online questionnaire was used to conduct a cross-sectional study with a sample of 6,120 caregivers of children with ASD. Relationship between Quality of Life and several potential predictors is measured and analyzed. Quality of life were measured by Medical Study Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (Chinese version). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors affecting caregivers' QOL. The results revealed that the QOL of caregivers of autistic children in China was poor especially male caregivers. Social support was a positive predictor. More importantly, formal social support from rehabilitation institutions can improve caregivers' physical QOL. Caregivers' satisfaction with the rehabilitation institutions affecting their physical and mental QOL. The formal social support provided by rehabilitation institutions plays a positive role in improving the quality of life of caregivers.

Navigating the Australian child protection system: The importance of formal and informal support for carers to effectively provide care to children in out‐of‐home care

AbstractChildren in out‐of‐home care (OOHC) are a vulnerable group who often experience poorer outcomes than their peers who are not in OOHC. In 2020–2021, there were approximately 46 200 children in OOHC in Australia, with 91% in a family setting with foster or kinship carers. Data from other countries show similar patterns indicating that foster and kinship carers provide care for most children in OOHC. To effectively provide children in OOHC with the care they require, including safety, stability, and connection, the carers need a social support system that equips them to meet the needs of these vulnerable children and to prevent the breakdown of placements. The study presented in this paper draws on social constructivist and critical perspectives to examine the formal and informal social support available to carers using data from a qualitative study investigating OOHC in Queensland, Australia. Our sample is 113 carers, caring for 194 children aged 1–12 years old. We find lack of integration across formal support systems and failure to recognize the invisible workload undertaken by carers are two key challenges faced by carers. Upskilling and stabilizing the child protection work force, as well as better training for carers, is also required. Addressing these issues will enhance the social support systems of carers and improve the safety, stability, and connection of children in OOHC.

A deathly silence: why has the number of people found decomposed in England and Wales been rising?

The number of deaths occurring in private homes in England and Wales had been rising for years, increasingly rapidly from 2020. Media stories and research linked decomposing bodies found in private homes with pandemic-related social isolation. We aim to explore whether these incidents are one-offs or part of a wider trend. Descriptive analysis of publicly available Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. England and Wales. All residents of England and Wales, 1979 to 2020. Using data from the Office for National Statistics, we calculate European Age Standardised Rates for deaths coded as R98 ('unattended death') and R99 ('other ill-defined and unknown causes of mortality') in the 10th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), and the corresponding codes in ICD-9, by sex and age group from 1979 (when ICD-9 began) to 2020. These are proxy markers for deaths where decomposition precludes attribution of a specific cause at postmortem. While mortality from all other causes decreased from 1979 to 2020, the opposite was seen for deaths from R98 and R99 (or 'undefined deaths'), with men more affected than women. There was a sharp rise in these deaths in both sexes but in men particularly in the 1990s and 2000s, coinciding with a time when overall mortality was rapidly improving. The increase in people found dead from unknown causes suggests wider societal breakdowns of both formal and informal social support networks. They are concerning and warrant urgent further investigation. We call on national and international authorities to consider measures that would make it possible to identify these deaths more easily in routine data.

Economic disadvantage and depressive symptoms among Arab and Jewish women in Israel: the role of social support and formal services

ABSTRACT Objectives Depression is a major public health concern due to its high prevalence and association with functioning. Ethnic minorities in Western countries are more likely to experience economic disadvantage and exposure to stressors that may put them at higher risk of developing depression. One major protective factor associated with reduced depressive symptoms is an existing support network. This study examined the associations between economic disadvantage, formal and informal social support, and depressive symptoms among two ethnicity groups in Israel: Arab and Jewish mothers of young children, as well as the potential mediating role of formal and informal social support in the associations between economic disadvantage and depressive symptoms. Design We recruited a representative sample of 837 Jewish and Arab mothers of children aged 2–6 years. We collected data via structured face-to-face interviews following approval of the university ethic committee. We used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) scale to measure maternal perceived social support, and a measure designed for this study to quantify formal social support. Results Compared to the Jewish mothers, Arab mothers reported more depressive symptoms, greater economic disadvantage, and fewer informal and formal support networks. Economic disadvantage was negatively associated with informal support but positively associated with formal support among both Jewish and Arab mothers. Results further revealed that informal and formal social support mediated the associations between economic disadvantage and symptoms of depression. Conclusions More attention should be paid to the associations between social determinants and mothers’ mental health, with a possible shift of focus to macro-level factors, such as economic inequality and minority status.

Social support in workers’ physical activity

Objective To analyze the role of formal and informal social support in the practice of physical activity during workers’ leisure time. Methods A cross-sectional study carried out with 395 technical administrative workers at a public university. Data were collected using sociodemographic questionnaire, Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire and Physical Activity and Social Support Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Student’s t test, Cohen’s d test and Analysis of Variance. Results Participants who reported some type of support for physical activity in their leisure time (92.2%) had higher means in the physical activity score. Institutional support (58.0%) had a prominent role as a potential influencer compared to support from immediate superiors (14.2%), although they had a certain differential among maintenance workers. Conclusion Social support plays an important role in promoting physical activity in workers’ leisure time. Institutional initiatives to encourage active behavior in the work environment need to be aligned with encouragement by immediate superiors so that they are more effective.

An Exploration of the Social Support of Women in Sex Work in Cúcuta, Colombia

Social support for women in sex work is essential for their overall health and well-being. In the city of Cúcuta, Colombia, both domestic Colombian and migrant Venezuelan women utilize the sex industry to obtain an income. However, with limited resources in this area and little prior research about the current supports, this study explores the social support accessed and received, the social support desired, and identifies the formal social support available to women in sex work in Cúcuta, Colombia. To conduct this research, 28 interviews were conducted: 10 with Colombian women in sex work, 12 with Venezuelan women in sex work, and 6 with professionals representing various social service organizations. Findings indicated that most of the women relied on informal support, yet many women also expressed a desire for formal social support services, specifically related to health care, food, and housing assistance. Nonetheless, gaps persist in the availability of desired formal services This research demonstrates the importance of service providers working with women in sex work directly to understand their lived experiences, while also demonstrating self-determination and empowerment. Further research is needed to measure the implementation efficacy of formal services and the barriers to access for women in sex work.