Frequency Of Social Activities Research Articles

Social Engagement and Cognitive Function in Old Age

We examined the association of diverse measures of social engagement with level of function in multiple cognitive domains in 838 persons without dementia who had a mean age of 80.2 (SD = 7.5). Social network size, frequency of social activity, and level of perceived social support were assessed in linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, and other covariates. Social activity and social support were related to better cognitive function, whereas social network size was not strongly related to global cognition. The results confirm that higher level of social engagement in old age is associated with better cognitive function but the association varies across domains of social engagement.

Individuals’ perception of oral health and its impact on the health‐related quality of life

This research divides oral health status into two parts: clinical disease and patients' subjective perceptions, and then discusses what impact these two items have on the health-related quality of life. A total of 1600 elderly persons, over 65 years old, were sampled as the research target. The overall response rate was 71.62%. SF-36 was used to measure the health-related quality of life, Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) was used to measure individuals' subjective perception of their oral health status, and the number of natural teeth was considered as the clinical issue. There are 12 items which affect quality of life in the physical aspect, namely: OHIP score; age; gender; weekly frequency of social activities and interactions; financial status; physician visits per month on a regular basis; hospitalization during the last 6 months; arthritis, rheumatism, cardiovascular disease or diabetes; abnormal IADL patients; and the satisfaction level of current lifestyle. Factors affecting quality of life (i.e. mental aspects), are few, including: OHIP score, gender, education level, weekly frequency of social activities and interactions and satisfaction level of current lifestyle. The results indicate that individuals' subjective perceptions of their oral health status had a greater impact, than did the clinical issue, on their health-related quality of life. The outcomes and findings derived from this research may provide alternative perspectives for professionals, so that they may be more careful concerning individuals' subjective perceptions.

Neurocognitive deficits and social functioning in outpatients with schizophrenia

Previous studies suggest that neurocognitive factors may contribute to the reduced social functioning of patients with schizophrenia. To assess this relationship, we administered a battery of neurocognitive tests and independently assessed symptoms (PANSS) and social functioning (SFS) in 88 stable outpatients with schizophrenia. We found a significant correlation between neurocognitive and social functioning variables. Patients' performance on aphasia, spatial organization and visual spatial tasks was correlated with their competence at activities of daily living, frequency of social activities and total social functioning. Regression analyses of each social functioning scale revealed different symptom and neurocognitive predictors. Patients' overall social functioning was best predicted by a combination of negative symptoms and aphasia. The results support the potential use of interventions to reduce patients' cognitive deficits as a means to improve their social outcomes.

Situation and Personality Correlates of Psychological Well-Being: Social Activity and Personal Control

Two studies that examined the correlates of peoples′ reports of their own psychological well-being are reported (Ryff, 1989). In Study 1, extraverts reported better psychological adjustment than introverts, especially when they completed the questionnaires with no one else present. Need for social approval and the sex of the participant were unrelated to self-reports of well-being. Satisfaction with social activities, especially activities involving friends and parents, predicted psychological well-being but the frequency of social activity did not. Completing questionnaires in the presence of friends led to better self-assessments of well-being than completing them in the presence of strangers. In Study 2, internal locus of control, high desire for control, and being female, as well as perceived control over the testing situation, were found to predict reports of better psychological adjustment. It is suggested that future research on self-assessments of psychological well-being focus on: (a) the interaction effects of personality and situational variables; (b) the difference between seeking social interaction and seeking social approval: (c) the distinction between platonic and romantic relationships, and; (d) changes in the correlates of psychological well-being throughout the life-cycle.

Employment Outcomes and Social Integration of Students with Mild Handicaps

The employment outcomes and social adjustment of mildly handicapped students were examined in a sample of 65 randomly selected youths who exited high school in 1984. Personal and telephone interviews were conducted to obtain current employment data such as income, employment and training history, and use of community and social services in securing employment. Postschool social adjustment data included marital status, place of residence, types and frequency of social activities, friendship patterns, and satisfaction with social life. Seventy-eight percent of the respondents were employed. The majority worked on a full-time basis for minimum wage or better, were satisfied with their jobs, and relied on a self-family-friend network to secure employment. The majority of respondents were single, resided at home, and engaged in a variety of social activities on a regular basis. When the employment and social activity variables were combined, it was found that over 60% of the respondents were employed and held positive perceptions of their social life.

Social Contact, Loneliness, and Mass Media Use: A Test of Two Hypotheses1

The possible connections between social variables such as frequency of social activity and subjective loneliness on the one hand, and extent of mass media use on the other, have received relatively little empirical attention. In this investigation, two related hypotheses concerning such links are proposed. The compensation hypothesis holds that persons with little social contact or greater loneliness will be more likely to utilize mass media to compensate for social impoverishment. The buffering hypothesis more specifically predicts that such compensation is effective; that is, persons “at risk” for loneliness because of diminished social contact may be at least partially protected from subjective loneliness due to heavy use of mass media. The hypotheses were tested in two samples: college students and a group of adolescent males attending a summer camp. Little support was found for the compensation hypothesis. While limited support was found for the buffering hypothesis, analyses also revealed an unexpected opposite effect; for the music variable, heavy media use actually intensified the association between social deficits and subjective loneliness. Some limitations of this study are discussed, and issues related to the unexpected “intensification” effects are presented.

Relation of social fantasy play to social competence in preschoolers.

The relation of social fantasy play to several indices of social competence was examined in a sample of 91 preschoolers, aged 35 months to 69 months. Naturalistic observations of the frequency and complexity of social fantasy play during freeplay periods were collected. Competence measures included teacher ratings of social competence, popularity, social role-taking skills, and observations of social behavior. Multiple regression procedures were used to analyze the prediction of social competence from the fantasy measures, independent of age, sex, IQ, and frequency of social activity. The results indicated that the amount and complexity of fantasy play significantly predicted four of the competence measures: teacher rating of peer social skill, popularity, affective role taking, and a behavioral summary score reflecting positive social activity. Fantasy play was also found to be more positive, sustained, and group oriented than was nonfantasy play. Implications of these findings on the role of fantasy play and peer-peer activity in social-skill acquisition are discussed. Fantasy play during the preschool years has been hypothesized to exercise a leading role in the young child's growth and development (Bruner, 1972; Singer, 1973; Vygotsky, 1966). It has also been suggested that fantasy play in the context of a social interaction may lead to the development of socially relevant cognitive skills and a repertoire of competent social behaviors (Garvey, 1977; Smilansky, 1968). According to this view, participation in fantasy play with another child requires a high level of complex cognitive and social abilities. Sharing and cooperation, self-regulation of affect, and an appreciation of cognitive and behavioral role reciprocity are all important underlying skills. Social fantasy play is a unique