Functional Social Support Research Articles

Racial Disparities in Cognitive Functioning: The Mediating Role of Social Resources

Despite frequent recognition of disparities in cognitive functioning between White and non-White older adults, the pathways or mechanisms through which race affects cognitive functioning have yet to be elucidated. The research questions addressed in this paper are: 1) Is there a relationship between racial minority status and cognitive functioning in middle and later life? 2) To what extent do social resources (i.e., social support, social networks, and social participation) mediate the relationship between racial minority status and cognitive functioning? 3) Finally, drawing on intersectionality theory, if social resources do mediate the relationship between racial minority status and cognitive functioning, to what extent is this mediation effect moderated by the interaction of gender and Socioeconomic Status (SES)? Using cross-sectional data drawn from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) with a sample of over 50,000 Canadians (2010-15) aged 45 to 85 years, multivariate regression analyses (OLS, logistic, multinomial logistic) assess the mediating effect of social resources on the relationship between racial minority status and cognitive functioning. Controlling for age, gender and other relevant determinants, preliminary results reveal that racial disparities in cognitive functioning (i.e., lower cognitive test scores) exist in Canada and that this relationship is partially mediated by some indicators of social resources (e.g., functional social support, emotional social support). Our findings suggest the need for interventions targeted at increasing social resources for racial minority groups to cope with the risk of developing cognitive impairment in later life.

Abstract 14322: The Relationship Between Self-care and Health-related Quality Life in Patients With Heart Failure Differs by Age

Background: Although poor self-care is expected to negatively influence health-related quality of life (HRQOL), this relationship is not consistent. The possible reason might be related that older people reconceptualize or change their expectations for HRQOL. Therefore, vigilant monitoring daily symptom status and other self-care activity might not benefit for older patients with HF to improve their HRQOL. Objective: To examine whether the relationship between self-care and HRQOL differs between younger (age <65 years) and older patients (age≥65 years) with HF. Methods: A total of 138 patients were included in this study (60 years, 29% female, 12.3% NYHA functional class III/IV). Patients were asked to complete the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and the self-care maintenance of the Self-care HF index to measure overall HRQOL and self-care maintenance. To examine the association between self-care maintenance and HRQOL in younger and older patients, two separate linear regressions were performed after controlling for covariates (age, gender, marital status, NYHA functional class, perceived control, and social support). Results: Self-care maintenance and overall HRQOL were not different between younger (n=90) and older patients (n=48). However, self-care maintenance was an independent predictor of overall HRQOL in only older patients, but not their younger counterparts. In older patients, better self-care maintenance was associated with poorer overall HRQOL (β=-0.37, p=0.03). Conclusions: We found that the relationship between self-care and HRQOL is different between younger and older patients with HF. This finding indicates that improving self-care alone does not necessarily improve HRQOL in older patients so that interventions aimed to enhance HRQOL in older patients need to include strategies considering older patients’ conceptualization for HRQOL.

Patterns of social media use and associations with psychosocial outcomes among breast and gynecologic cancer survivors.

We sought to characterize the use of social media (SM) among breast and gynecologic cancer survivors, as well as associations between patterns of SM use and psychosocial outcomes. Two hundred seventy-three breast and gynecologic cancer survivors recruited at the Stanford Women's Cancer Center completed the study. Participants completed questionnaires to measure quality of life (FACT-G), functional social support (Duke-UNC FSSQ), distress (PHQ-4), decision regret (DRS), and SM use. In total, 75.8% of the sample reported using SM. There was no difference in quality of life (QOL), functional social support (FSS), distress, or decision regret between SM users and non-users. SM users indicated using SM for social support (34.3%) and loneliness (24.6%) more than for information-seeking (15.9%), coping (18.8%), or self-disclosure (14%). SM use for coping was associated with lower QOL (p< .001), lower FSS (p< .001), and higher decision regret (p= .029). Use for social support was associated with lower FSS (p= .029). Use for information seeking was associated with lower QOL (p= .012). Use of SMwhen lonely was associated with lower QOL (p< .001), higher distress (p= .007), lower FSS (p< .001), and higher decision regret (p= .020). Associations between SM use and psychosocial outcomes are nuanced and dependent on motivation for use. Further research is needed to better characterize SM use and associations with psychosocial outcomes among cancer survivors. SM is an important potential avenue for understanding and addressing the psychosocial effects associated with cancer survivorship.

WiFi Use and Mental Health in a Refugee Camp in Italy

Background: Migrants often rely on digital connectivity enabled by WiFi hotspots accessed via technologies such as mobile phones. However, there is a lack of evidence of the relationship between WiFi use and mental health during displacement. We assessed the relationship between symptoms of depressive disorder and digital connectivity, as well as potential mediating mental health outcomes of perceived social support and self-efficacy. Methods: This study included a cross-sectional, census survey of displaced individuals in a transit camp in Italy. The survey consisted of a structured questionnaire: connectivity was operationalized as WiFi use in the past week and mobile phone ownership. Mental health status was evaluated by interviewer-administered screening tools for depressive disorder (8-item Patient Health Questionnaire), perceived social support (Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire), and self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy Scale). Results: In total, 104 migrants were included (97% men). The median age was 26 years (interquartile range 22-30). Nearly two-thirds (72%) of participants accessed WiFi daily in the past week, and 60% owned a mobile phone. Over 86% of participants had symptoms consistent with moderate/major depressive disorder. There is a trend between daily access to WiFi in the past week and increased social support and perceived self-efficacy (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.52 – 3.13 and OR: 1.41, 95% CI 0.57 – 3.48, respectively), and lower odds of depressive symptoms (OR: 0.84, 95% CI 0.16 – 4.44). Interpretation: This data provides evidence of the role of WiFi access in the mental health of displaced persons in a refugee camp setting. Funding Statement: This research was conducted in a partnership between Technology for Development (T4D) of Mercy Corps and the Signal Program on Human Security and Technology at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) and was funded by a subaward from the CiscoMercy Corps Technology for Impact partnership. Declaration of Interests: None to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was under ethics review, oversight, and governance both in Italy and in the United States by the Ethics Committee of the Unita di Bioetica, Istituto Superiore di Sanita and the Institutional Review Board of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Protocol IRB19-0692), respectively. Informed consent was obtained orally from all participants to avoid the potential risks of collecting participant names.

Contribution of psychosocial factors to socioeconomic inequalities in mortality among older Australian men: a population-based cohort study

BackgroundAmong older people, the extent to which psychosocial factors explain socioeconomic inequalities in mortality is debated. We aimed to investigate the potential mediating effect of psychosocial factors on socioeconomic inequalities in mortality.MethodsWe used data from a prospective population-based cohort (the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project; baseline recruitment in 2005–2007), in Sydney, Australia. The main outcomes were all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Socioeconomic status (SES; educational attainment, occupational position, source of income, housing tenure, and a cumulative SES score) was assessed at baseline. Measures of structural and functional social support, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed three times during follow-ups. Associations were quantified using Cox regression. Mediation was calculated using “change-in-estimate method”.Results1522 men (mean age at baseline: 77·4 ± 5·5 years) were included in the analyses with a mean (SD) follow-up time of 9·0 (3·6) years for all-cause and 8·0 (2·8) years for cause-specific mortality. At baseline, psychosocial measures displayed marked social patterning. Being unmarried, living alone, low social interactions, and elevated depressive symptoms were associated with higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Psychosocial factors explained 35% of SES inequalities in all-cause mortality, 29% in CVD mortality, 12% in cancer mortality, and 39% in non-CVD, non-cancer mortality.ConclusionPsychosocial factors may account for up to one-third of SES inequalities in deaths from all and specific causes (except cancer mortality). Our findings suggest that interventional studies targeting social relationships and/or psychological distress in older men aiming to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in mortality are warranted.

Resiliência, capacidade funcional e apoio social de pessoas com sequelas de acidente vascular encefálico

Objetivo: Investigar a relação entre a resiliência, a capacidade funcional e o apoio social de pessoas com sequelas de acidente vascular encefálico. Método: Estudo transversal, realizado com 108 indivíduos com sequelas de acidente vascular encefálico, cadastrados em Unidades de Saúde da Família, do município de João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brasil. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: Escala de Resiliência, Índice de Barthel e Escala de Apoio Social. Para análise, utilizou-se estatística descritiva e inferencial. Resultados: Houve maior frequência do sexo feminino (57,4%), 60 anos ou mais (59,2%), com companheiro (47,2%) e cuidador (76,6%). Os participantes apresentaram mais frequentemente o nível de resiliência moderada (64,8%), dependência funcional (93,6%) para realização das atividades diárias e médio apoio social (48,2%). Foi verificado que quanto maior a capacidade funcional e o apoio social, maior a resiliência. Conclusão: A capacidade funcional e o apoio social são preditores da resiliência de pessoas com sequelas de acidente vascular encefálico.

Predicting Caregiver Burden in Informal Caregivers for the Elderly in Ecuador

Informal caregivers are the main providers of care for the elderly. The aim of this study is to examine the predictive value of different variables regarding caregivers and their elderly patients with respect to the caregiver’s burden. A convenience sample of 688 informal caregivers and 688 elderly people from Ecuador was surveyed. Only households with one caregiver and one elderly person were considered for the study. For informal caregivers, the following standardized measures were obtained: burden (Zarit Burden Interview), neuroticism (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated, EPQR-A), caregiver’s general health (GHQ-12), and social support (modified Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire, FSSQ11). For the elderly, we employed standardized measures of cognitive function (short portable mental status questionnaire, SPMSQ), Pfeiffer’s test, and functional dependency (Barthel scale/Index, BI). Females were over-represented in caregiving and reported significantly higher burden levels than those of males. In both male and female caregivers, the burden was best predicted by the time of caring, neuroticism, and elderly cognitive impairment. However, some predictors of burden were weighted differently in males and females. The functional independence of the elderly was a significant predictor of burden for male caregivers but not females, while caregiver competence was a significant predictor for females but not males. These variables accounted for more than 88% of the variability in informal caregivers.

Psychological Distress of Filipino Deaf: Role of Environmental Vulnerabilities, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Functional Social Support

Psychological Distress of Filipino Deaf: Role of Environmental Vulnerabilities, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Functional Social Support

Buffering PTSD in Canine Search and Rescue Teams? Associations with Resilience, Sense of Coherence, and Societal Acknowledgment.

Rescue workers present an elevated risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and recently, research has begun to focus on coping styles and social support as protective factors in this population. Associations in the particular group of search and rescue dog handlers still lack evidence. The aim of the study is to investigate if functional cognitions and social support also decrease the risk for PTSD. Active voluntary rescue dog handlers (n = 116) rated levels of resilience, sense of coherence, and social acknowledgment (SAQ; subscales general disapproval, familial disapproval, recognition), in addition to a trauma checklist and PTSD symptoms. Linear regression analyses and two different graph models were calculated to explore associations, as well as potential pathways. Controlling for trauma exposure, the SAQ general disapproval emerged as the only significant predictor in the regression model. In the graph models, SAQ familial disapproval was linked to SAQ recognition and SAQ general disapproval. The latter, together with a sense of coherence manageability, affected PTSD re-experiencing symptoms through resilience. The findings are in line with earlier work. The study underlines the importance of targeting resilience and manageability, as well as enhancing social support in prevention programs for PTSD in canine search and rescue teams. Future research is warranted to further investigate model stability and replicate findings.

Frailty assessment tools and geriatric assessment in older patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies

BackgroundThe majority of patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HBP) malignancies are older than 65 years. Due to the heterogeneity of this older population, decisions regarding surgical treatment cannot rely solely on treatment guidelines, but have to take into account patient frailty, geriatric impairments and resilience as well as patient preferences. In the few studies of older patients with HBP malignancies that have included a preoperative geriatric assessment (GA), frailty and elements from the GA such as reduced functional status have emerged as powerful predictors of postoperative morbidity and mortality, length of stay, type of treatment received and survival. A GA is a systematic evaluation of functional status, comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognition, nutritional status, emotional status, and social support. Materials and methodsA Pubmed search identifying clinical studies investigating the association between frailty, GA and outcomes in patients with HBP malignancies. ResultsA total of 20 studies were included in this review. For HBP malignancies, the evidence linking frailty and GA variables to negative outcomes is limited, but generally shows that frailty, functional dependency, comorbidity, and sarcopenia predict postoperative complications and survival. ConclusionAlthough scarcely investigated, frailty and elements from a GA seem to be associated with negative short- and long-term treatment outcomes in older patients with HBP malignancies. Future studies should investigate the impact of geriatric interventions and prehabilitation on outcomes.

Perceived health, caregiver overload and perceived social support in family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's: Gender differences.

Perceived health in caregivers is related to caregiver burden, psychological well-being and social support. Women perceive poorer health and are more likely than men to experience caregiver overload. The objectives of this study were to analyse perceived health, perceived social support and caregiver overload in family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease, as well as to study the effect of the perceived social support as a mediating variable between perceived health and caregiver overload was also analysed, taking into account the caregivers' gender. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. The sample consisted of 255 family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease in the Almería Health District (Spain). This study was conducted from January to December 2015. The caregivers' mean age was 55.35years (SD=12.35), with 85.5% (n=218) being women and 14.5% (n=37) being men. The following questionnaires were administered: Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire-28; the Caregiver Strain Index, measuring caregiver overload; and the Duke-UNC-11 functional social support questionnaire. Poor perceived health, high caregiver overload and high perceived social support were found. Differences in perceived health and perceived social support were significantly higher in women than in men. In women, perceived social support was a mediating variable between perceived health and family caregiver overload. This mediation was not observed in men. This study suggests that perceived social support influences the emotional well-being and the caregiver overload of family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's. However, its effect differs according to gender. It would, therefore, be necessary to have an in-depth understanding of the variables determining these differences in family caregivers.

Psychometric Properties of the Functional Social Support Domain of Perinatal Infant Care Social Support.

Objective. To determine the face, content, construct validity, and reliability of the functional social support domain of Perinatal Infant Care Social Support (PICSS) translated into Spanish and adapted for first-time mothers of term babies. Methods. Validation study of the functional social support domain of PICSS, which has 22 items with response options from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate greater social support. A translation, back-translation, and cultural adaptation process took place along with an expert review to evaluate face and content validity. In total, 210 mothers participated to establish construct validity and the reliability of the domain. The content validity index and factor analysis were used to identify the structure of the domain. Reliability was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Results. Linguistic and cultural adaptations were performed, along with validation and reliability. Face validity for mothers was the following: high comprehension (94%); and for experts: high comprehension (95.83%), high clarity (96.53%), and high precision (92.82%). In relevance and pertinence, the content validity index was high (0.97). Construct validation identified two factors that explained 76% of the variance of the domain evaluated: factor 1 “Supporting presence -emotional and appraisal support” (13 items, 39%) and factor 2 “Practical support -informational and instrumental support-” (9 items, 37%). Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.97. Conclusion. Given the robust psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the functional social support domain of PICSS, this may be used to identify the functional social support in the mothers.

The contextual effect of trust on perceived support: Evidence from Roma and non-Roma in East-Central Europe.

In recent years, trust has been conceptualized as an important source of social capital, setting off cross-disciplinary research on both the benefits and predictors of trust at the individual and contextual level. In this paper, we turn to the individual outcomes of living in a trustful context, and explore the relationship between trust, itself one of the main components of social capital, and social support, seen as one of the most important effects of social capital. In particular, we ask how social capital-and the relationship between trust and social support-functions in the context of unequal societies. We model perceived support as an outcome across three levels, from no support to proximate to distal support, and using a cross-national study of Roma and non-Roma across 12 European countries, we track the relationship between trust and support across both mainstream and marginalized populations. Our findings suggest that living in contexts with more trust has protective effects particularly for members of marginalized groups: the Roma are more likely to have distal support in contexts with higher trust. We conclude that contextual trust helps to broaden the circle of support beyond family and friends; thus, trust can indeed be a synthetic force that binds individuals together in broadened structures of support.

A Digital Health Coach for Younger Seniors - User Centred Requirements Collection.

Based on socio-economic and medical improvements as well as healthier lifestyles, a majority of baby boomer pensioners still feel fit and active and thus may struggle with transitioning into retirement. They could benefit from an ICT system to ease their transition into retirement and support general well- being. The aim of this paper was to gain insights into the requirements for a digital coach to support their transition into retirement. Two rounds of focus groups with older employees close to retirement, people just retired and relatives of retired were conducted. Outcomes were then identified through a framework analysis and integrated into the design of a digital coach. Four functional groups (i) physical activity, (ii) cognitive support, (iii) emotional support and (iv) social support were identified.

Predictors of Discharge Settings After Total Knee Arthroplasty in Medicare Patients

ObjectivesTo determine the factors associated with acute hospital discharge to the 3 most common postacute settings following total knee arthroplasty (TKA): inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and directly back to the community. DesignRetrospective cohort study. SettingAcute care hospitals submitting claims to Medicare. ParticipantsNational cohort (N=1,189,286) of 100% Medicare Part A data files from 2009-2011. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresObserved rates and adjusted odds of discharge to the 3 main postacute settings based on the clinical and facility level variables: amount of comorbidity, bilateral procedures, and facility TKA volume. ResultsUsing IRF discharge as the reference, patients who received a bilateral procedure had lower odds of both SNF and community discharge, patients with more comorbidity had lower odds for community discharge and higher odds for SNF discharge, and patients who received their TKA from hospitals with lower TKA volumes had lower odds of SNF and community discharge. ConclusionsClinical populations within Medicare beneficiaries may systematically vary across the 3 most common discharge settings following TKA. This information may be helpful for a better understanding on which patient or clinical factors influence postacute care settings following TKA. Additional research including functional status, living situation, and social support systems would be beneficial.

Young adult cancer caregivers' use of social media for social support.

To describe how young adult cancer caregivers (YACC) use social media for social support during a cancer experience. Eligible YACC were 18 to 39 years, used Facebook and/or Instagram at least once per week, and cared for an adult cancer patient diagnosed 6 months to 5 years prior (N = 34). Recruitment of a cross-sectional sample occurred through oncology clinics in Utah and online advertising by caregiving and cancer organizations from September 2017 to June 2018. Semi-structured telephone interviews were recorded, transcribed, iteratively coded, and qualitatively analyzed, yielding four categories concerning how YACC use social media. Caregivers were most commonly spouses aged 29 years on average (range 21-38); cancer patients were 37 years (range 19-76). Analysis yielded four distinct yet related categories: Category 1: Posting about cancer on social media often begins as a strategy for YACC to efficiently provide updates about the cancer patient. Category 2: Caregivers who actively post on social media experience a variety of different functional social supports to which they otherwise would not have access. Category 3: Posting about cancer online presents an opportunity for negative consequences. Category 4: Potential for negative consequences influences how some caregivers use social media. Supportive services, including social media-based supports, are needed for YACC in formats that are convenient for them as they balance their caretaking duties with their daily lives.

Recovery and its correlates in patients with schizophrenia.

Little information is available from India, on psychological recovery in patients with schizophrenia. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the correlates and stages of the psychological recovery of patients with schizophrenia. 100 patients, in clinical remission, were evaluated on Stages of Recovery Instrument (STORI), Functional Social Support Questionnaire, WHO Quality of life-BREF, Ways of Coping Checklist, Internalised Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder and Knowledge of mental illness scale. Majority of the patients (N = 50) belonged to the stage-5 (Growth), and this was followed by those in the stage-4 (stage of rebuilding; N = 22) and stage-3 (stage of preparation; N = 16) of recovery. A higher stage of recovery was associated with lower stigma in all the domains except stigma resistance. Higher use of confrontative coping and accepting responsibility was associated with a higher score in the awareness stage of recovery. In terms of insight, higher awareness about the effect of medication was associated with a higher stage of recovery. Higher disability in the domain of self-care was seen in the lower stage of recovery. Better quality of life in the physical health domain was associated with being in a higher stage of recovery. To conclude, findings of the present study suggest that stigma plays a significant role in determining the outcome in the form of personal recovery. These findings suggest that to organize the services to promote personal recovery, clinicians should not only aim at symptom amelioration but also must focus on stigma to promote psychological recovery.

Apoyo social y percepción de los padres en adolescentes fumadores y no fumadores

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objetivo:&lt;/strong&gt; evaluar la asociación entre el apoyo social funcional y la percepción de la relación con sus padres en adolescentes fumadores y no fumadores. Métodos: estudio transversal analítico realizado en la Unidad de Medicina Familiar (umf) no. 64 del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (imss) de marzo a mayo de 2018; participaron 250 adolescentes de trece a diecisiete años de edad, contestaron la escala argentina de percepción de la relación con los padres y el cuestionario de apoyo social funcional Duke-unc. Se realizó estadística descriptiva, cálculo de frecuencias y relación de variables mediante &lt;span&gt;χ&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;. Resultados: la relación entre apoyo social funcional y ser o no fumador reportó una &lt;span&gt;χ&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;de 0.733 con una p=0.392; la asociación percepción de la relación con el padre o la madre con ser o no fumador registró una &lt;span&gt;χ&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt; de 2.147 y 3.129 respectivamente, con un valor de p&amp;gt;0.05 para ambos casos. Conclusiones: no existe una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el apoyo social funcional y la percepción de la relación con sus padres con el tabaquismo en los adolescentes evaluados.&lt;/p&gt;

Social support and parental perception in smoking and non-smoking adolescents

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objetivo:&lt;/strong&gt; evaluar la asociación entre el apoyo social funcional y la percepción de la relación con sus padres en adolescentes fumadores y no fumadores. Métodos: estudio transversal analítico realizado en la Unidad de Medicina Familiar (umf) no. 64 del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (imss) de marzo a mayo de 2018; participaron 250 adolescentes de trece a diecisiete años de edad, contestaron la escala argentina de percepción de la relación con los padres y el cuestionario de apoyo social funcional Duke-unc. Se realizó estadística descriptiva, cálculo de frecuencias y relación de variables mediante &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;χ&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Resultados: la relación entre apoyo social funcional y ser o no fumador reportó una &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;χ&lt;sup&gt;2 &lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;de 0.733 con una p=0.392; la asociación percepción de la relación con el padre o la madre con ser o no fumador registró una &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;χ&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; de 2.147 y 3.129 respectivamente, con un valor de p&amp;gt;0.05 para ambos casos. Conclusiones: no existe una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el apoyo social funcional y la percepción de la relación con sus padres con el tabaquismo en los adolescentes evaluados.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

The experiences of mothers with preterm infants within the first-year post discharge from NICU: social support, attachment and level of depressive symptoms

BackgroundThe estimated global premature birth rate for 2014 was 10.6%, equating to an estimate of 14.84 million live premature births. The experience of premature birth does not impact solely on the infant and mother as individuals but occurs in the context of a critical point in time when they are developing a relationship with one another. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between social support, mother to infant attachment, and depressive symptoms of mothers with preterm infants within the first 12 months’ post discharge from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).MethodsA correlational cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected using a four-part online survey which included the Perinatal Social Support Questionnaire (PICSS), Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) with mothers of preterm infants (n = 140).ResultsThe prevalence of postnatal depression was 37.9% (95% CI: 29.8 to 46.4%). In univariable analyses, history of depression (p = 0.005), aged 35–39 years (p = 0.006), no formal social support (p = 0.040), less informal social supports (p = 0.018), lower overall maternal attachment (p < 0.001) and lower overall functional social support (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms. Lower scores on two of the maternal attachment subscales (quality of attachment and absence of hostility) and all four of the functional social support subscales were significantly associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms (p < 0.001 for all). In the multivariable analysis, prior history of depression (p = 0.028), lower score of maternal attachment (p < 0.001) and lower emotional functional social support (p = 0.030) were significantly associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms.ConclusionWomen who experience a premature birth, have a prior history of depression, poor infant attachment and poor emotional social support have a higher level of depressive symptoms. Results emphasise the need for professionals to encourage mobilisation of maternal formal and informal social supports. It is important to intervene early to address maternal emotional well-being and enhance the developing mother-preterm infant relationship.