Measures Of Social Integration Research Articles

NURSING HOME EXPECTATIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY

Abstract Three million older adults live in long-term care facilities. Transitioning into a nursing home is a major life event that can worsen mental health. Expectedness of nursing home transitions may have implications for mental health; however, this area is understudied. This study examined the relationship between expectations of transitioning into a nursing home in the next five years and depressive symptoms and passive suicidal ideation, and how social integration modified these relationships. Sample included respondents aged 65+ from the 2018 Health and Retirement Study (n=7,944, mean age=73.9, 55.4% female, 80.5% Non-Hispanic White). Nursing home transition expectations were modeled continuously (range: 0-100%). Mental health outcomes were assessed by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form. Social integration measured composition, frequency of contact, and closeness with spouses/partners, children, other family members, and friends. Multivariate logistic regressions were fit for depressive symptoms and passive suicidal ideation separately, adjusting for demographic, health characteristics, and health-related reasons for moving. Additional models simultaneously adjusted for all social integration measures. Higher nursing home expectations were associated with elevated depressive symptoms (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.11), major depressive episode (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02-1.15), and suicidal ideation (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.16). These relationships persisted even after accounting for social integration. Future research can explore modifiable factors salient to these relationships, such as perceived social support and family care, to inform mental health-targeted interventions as older adults transition into long-term care.

Do personal relationships boost academic performance more for women than for men?

Social integration is known to be positively related to academic performance. It is also well-known to play a different role for (self-identified) men and women. In this paper, we examine the differences seen in the correlations between academic performance and social integration for men and women. Gender was determined on the basis of self-identification. Utilizing the data from the Russian representative panel of late adolescents ( N = 4,400), we demonstrate a positive relationship between the core discussion network size as a measure of social integration. Using moderation analysis, we demonstrate that the role of social integration for women is more pronounced than for men. Our findings show the importance of social integration and support for girls and women and suggest possible policy implications.

The (Un)grateful Homeland: The Hard Life of World War I Invalids in Interwar Romania

In the interwar period there was a widespread wish to express gratitude towards those who suf fered after World War I. The Romanian state assumed a central role in initiating and coordinat ing programs meant to ensure protection, support, and measures of social integration for the war invalids by adopting a wide-ranging legislative framework. The aim of the present study has been to review these legislative measures. In addition, it went beyond this analysis by presenting the difficult lives of the Romanian war invalids, due to the great number of affected individuals, to financial difficulties, and to frequent changes and readjustments in the law. The analysis of case studies from the periodical Glasul Eroilor (The voice of the heroes) has revealed examples of infringement of the invalids’ rights, of dysfunctions and errors committed by state officials, of abuses and illegalities. Consequently, many Romanian war invalids felt that society was not really grateful for the sacrifices they had made.

Revisiting Durkheim: Social Integration and Suicide Clusters in U.S. Counties, 2006–2019

Research dating back to Durkheim’s Suicide has linked high suicide rates to low social integration. Less research has examined community vulnerability to suicide clusters—characterized by an unusually high number of suicides in a time and place. In this study, we draw from recent qualitative research to hypothesize that social integration is positively associated with the emergence of suicide clusters, in contrast to the classic Durkheimian hypothesis. To test this hypothesis, we examine the association between three measures of social integration (divorce, Catholic adherence, and residential stability) and a novel measure of suicide clusters in 469 U.S. counties from 2006 to 2019 using data from the American Community Survey (ACS), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Religious Congregations and Membership Study (RCMS). We find that while social integration is negatively associated with suicide rates, social integration is positively associated with the emergence of suicide clusters. These findings shed light on the dual nature of social integration as both potentially protective and harmful for suicide.

Are adolescents more socially integrated in all-day schools than in half-day schools?

Abstract: In Germany, the number of all-day schools has been steadily increasing since 2001. This study examines the social relationships of students in all-day and half-day schools. We hypothesized that spending more time with different classmates in extracurricular activities and a greater emphasis on social skills in all-day schools contribute to higher levels of social integration. We also expected that classrooms with higher participation rates in extracurricular activities would exhibit higher levels of social integration. We analyzed data from the IQB Trends in Student Achievement 2018 study, including information from 10,010 ninth-grade students (15.49 years old; 49.0% girls) in 481 classrooms from 368 German secondary schools (202 half-day and 166 all-day schools). Linear regression analyses of different social integration measures at the classroom level, including self-reported and sociometric items, enabled us to explore differences in social relations based on extracurricular participation, controlling for school track and composition. Results showed that all-day schools exhibited higher levels of social integration than half-day schools. Additionally, classrooms with higher extracurricular participation rates displayed higher levels of social integration than classrooms with lower extracurricular participation rates. However, the effects of these findings were small.

The association between nation-level social and economic indices and suicide rates: A pilot study.

Ever since the pioneering work of Emile Durkheim, it has been known that regional or national suicide rates can be influenced by a variety of social and economic factors. Recent research has found a robust association between two country-level economic indices-gross national product and unemployment rate-and suicide rates, particularly in men. However, the association between other country-level social indices-such as measures of social integration, inequality, environmental preservation and political freedom-and suicide rates has not been studied at the cross-national level. In the current study, national suicide rates for men and women were examined in relation to seven indices measuring subjective wellbeing, sustainable development, type of political regime, economic and gender inequality, and social capital. It was found that the Happy Planet Index, a composite measure of subjective wellbeing and sustainable development, was negatively associated with suicide rates independent of gender, and even after adjusting for possible confounding factors. Economic inequality was associated with suicide in men, and social capital was associated with suicide in women. Moreover, the strength and direction of the associations observed between socioeconomic indices and suicide varied across income groups. These results highlight the need for a closer evaluation of the link between large-scale ("macro") social factors and individual ("micro") psychological factors, as well as the importance of integrating these factors into suicide prevention programmes at the national level.

Loneliness, solitude and social desintegration in the elderly and their relationship to health

AbstractLoneliness has become a big issue in the time of the COVID pandemic. The attention to the topic also has to do with the increase in people living alone in Europe, although this also has to do with prosperity. Living alone does not yet mean being lonely. In the scientific discussion and especially in the measures, a differentiation must be made between loneliness, solitude and social disintegration. Poor social integration is easily measurable and has a lot to do with the physical health (mobility, vision and hearing) of the people concerned. However, the extent to which participation in social and cultural opportunities is possible, for example through the expansion of public transport, also plays an important role.Loneliness, on the other hand, is by definition subjective and strongly linked to mental health. It describes the subjective suffering of missing or unsatisfactory social relationships, lack of integration and security. Loneliness is often found in two peaks, among the young and the old. Political and public health campaigns often focus on social integration measures. However, measures to combat loneliness mean first and foremost recognising mental illness in old age, especially depression. But they also mean providing help to people with long-term mental illness in old age.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Racial Differences in C-Reactive Protein, Depression Symptoms, and Social Relationships in Older Adults: A Moderated Network Analysis.

We introduce moderated network analysis as an integrative approach to assess the moderation effects of race on the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and depression symptoms in older adults. This study further explores how the observed relationships differ adjusting for social relationships. This secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (2010-2011) includes 2,880 older adults. We used different depression symptom domains (depressed affect, low positive affect, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal problems) from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale. Social relationships were assessed with measures of social integration, social support, and social strain. The moderated networks were constructed using the R-package mgm. The racial moderator was coded as White/African American racial groups. In the moderated networks of CRP and depression symptoms, CRP-"interpersonal problems" edge was present only among African Americans. CRP-"somatic symptoms" edge was present in both racial groups with equal edge weights. After adjusting for social relationships, the aforementioned patterns remained the same, but the edge weights were attenuated. We additionally observed CRP-social strain and social integration-"depressed affect" edges only in African Americans. Race may moderate the relationship between the CRP and depression symptoms in older adults and social relationships might be important covariates to consider while analyzing them. This study as an initiation point; future network investigations would benefit from leveraging more contemporary cohorts of older adults, gaining a large sample size with diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, and important covariates. Several important methodological issues of the current study are addressed.

Stand by Me: Social Ties and Health in Real-Time.

Sociological research has documented myriad associations between individuals' overall social connectedness and health, but rarely considers the shorter-term dynamics of social life that may underlie these associations. We examine how being with others ("social accompaniment") is associated with momentary experiences of symptoms, drawing smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments (N=12,720) collected from 342 older adults from the Chicago Health and Activity in Real Time study. We find that patterns of social accompaniment are distinct from global measures of social integration such as network size. Older adults who are in the company of a friend or neighbor are significantly less likely to experience momentary fatigue and stress, even after accounting for overall measures of social integration. These results suggest that social accompaniment has unique implications for short-term health outcomes. New theoretical perspectives and empirical analyses are needed to better understand the dynamic nature of everyday social accompaniment and its longer-term implications for well-being.

NETWORK SIZE, SOCIAL ACCOMPANIMENT, AND GENDER: PROTECTIVE OR RISK FACTOR FOR REAL-TIME LONELINESS, AND FOR WHOM?

Abstract Large personal networks are a key marker of social integration that protect against loneliness. Yet how such social integration shapes loneliness on a momentary basis remains unclear. This study examines (1) the role of personal network size in shaping older adults’ momentary loneliness, (2) how momentary social accompaniment modifies this association (protective or risk factor), and (3) whether this moderation varies by gender. We use three waves of ecological momentary assessments (n = 12,251) and personal network data collected from 333 older adults as part of the Chicago Health and Activity in Real-Time (CHART). Findings from multilevel regression models suggest that older adults with large social networks experience greater intensity loneliness when momentarily alone compared to those with smaller social networks. This association is also more pronounced among men compared to women. Results support our deviation-from-baseline hypothesis, which is further supported by additional analyses that find a similar association between more frequent interaction with network ties and heightened loneliness when alone. Additional analyses provide insight into observed gender differences as well: women’s networks and momentary social company tend to be familial ties characterized by caregiving, compared to men’s ties, which are characterized as peers or companions. Here, moments of momentary social isolation may be a welcome reprieve from otherwise demanding social relationships (“tethering”). We conclude that extending the well-documented links between global measures of social integration and loneliness into a real-time framework offers novel insight into existing, high-level trends in loneliness among older adults.

한국사회의 갈등과 통합*

Conflict is a universal phenomenon that exists in all societies regardless of the times or places. However, excessive conflict beyond the critical point has been recognized as a serious threat to a society, and measures of social integration have been devised in order to resolve the social conflict. Korean society, which has experienced numerous conflicts due to sharp ideological confrontation under the Cold War, side effects of compressed industrialization, partisan governance, and closed cultural traditions, has recently shifted to a worrisome state referred to as a "conflict republic" due to rising social uncertainties and class disparity. This paper comprehensively analyzes this current condition in terms of social anxiety as a background factor, social inequality as a causal factor and social conflict as a consequential factor, and discusses social integration measures to resolve the conflict from various viewpoints. Until now, a punitive approach based on retribution justice, a welfare approach based on distributional justice, and an inclusive approach based on recognition justice have been widely known as effective solutions to social conflict. From this study, however, it is turned out that the recent social conflict in Korea, worsening to an extreme form like a state of a war, is able to enter a path of harmonious integration only when a reconciliation approach resting on restorative justice is combined.

Social-Ecological Correlates of Social Isolation as a Structural Indicator of Social Connectedness Among Young Adult U.S. Males.

We examined the intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and societal correlates of a structural indicator of social connectedness (ie, social isolation) among a sample of young adult U.S. males. Cross-sectional. Setting: Online survey. Males (n = 495) aged 18-25years residing in the U.S. Social isolation was assessed as an index measure of social integration (inverse scored). The correlates consisted of the following variables: 1) intrapersonal (eg, social-demographic characteristics), 2) interpersonal (eg, adverse childhood experiences; marital status), 3) community (eg, county-level mental distress rates), and 4) societal (eg, how powerful is society's image of the 'masculine man'). Four-block hierarchical regression. The intra- and interpersonal variables significantly shared 17% and an incremental 5%, respectively, of the explained variance in social isolation. Several intra- (eg, financial vulnerability β = -2.76, [95% CI: -4.40, -1.13]) and inter-personal (ie, childhood household dysfunction β = -.66, [95% CI: -1.18, -.14]) factors were significantly associated with greater social isolation. Four intrapersonal factors (eg, gay or bisexual β = 2.31, [95% CI: .29, 4.33]) were significantly associated with lower social isolation. The current study's findings have important implications for understanding and shaping social connectedness in young adult U.S. males, with micro-level influences potentially being most important in predicting social isolation in this population.

Social functioning and the presentation of anxiety in children on the autism spectrum: A multimethod, multiinformant analysis.

Co-occurring anxiety in children on the autism spectrum is associated with greater social challenges, including poorer social skills and relationships, which may influence the severity and presentation of anxiety symptoms, particularly social anxiety. The current study used Bayesian network analytics (Williams & Mulder, 2020) and a multimethod approach to examine (a) how different facets of social functioning relate to one another and to anxiety severity and comorbidity, (b) which facet(s) are most influential and thus may represent optimal targets for intervention, and (c) how social functioning relates to the presentation of social fears in a large treatment-seeking sample of autistic children with anxiety disorders (n = 191, 7-13 years). Results indicated strong associations among measures of social ability (i.e., theory of mind [ToM], social motivation, friendship attainment) and among measures of social integration (i.e., bullying, interpersonal and peer difficulties), with only bullying demonstrating a significant association with anxiety. ToM was the most interconnected variable in the network, and social motivation demonstrated the strongest individual connections with other variables, particularly with other facets of social ability. Socially anxious children with impaired ToM were less likely to express fears of negative evaluation, resulting in a distinct diagnostic presentation of social fears. Findings suggest that social motivation and ToM may represent important targets for intervention for autistic children with co-occurring anxiety. Further, social-cognitive difficulties associated with autism, like ToM, may play a role in distinct manifestations of anxiety in these youth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Age-related change in self-perceptions of aging: Longitudinal trajectories and predictors of change.

Using data from the German Ageing Survey (Deutscher Alterssurvey, DEAS; N = 4,712), this study examined age-related change in three dimensions of self-perceptions of aging (SPA): perceptions of physical losses, social losses, and ongoing development. Participants ranged in age from 40 to 85 years at study entry (1996, 2002, or 2008) and were followed for up to 21 years. Time-invariant, context-specific and time-varying, person-specific predictors of the observed age-related changes were examined. Findings from longitudinal multilevel regression analyses showed significant nonlinear age-related change for all three dimensions. Specifically, starting at about age 65, participants showed age-related increases in perceptions of physical and social losses, with increases getting steeper in old age. Starting at about age 55, participants reported increasingly fewer perceptions related to ongoing development. The decline in perceptions of ongoing development also became increasingly steeper after age 70. Region of residence was a significant context-specific predictor of the intercepts of the three SPA dimensions. Health-related variables (i.e., number of chronic diseases, self-rated health), affective well-being (i.e., positive and negative affect), and measures of social integration (i.e., loneliness) were significant person-specific predictors. Health-related variables had their strongest association with perceptions of physical losses, whereas negative affect and loneliness had their strongest association with perceptions of social losses. Positive affect had its strongest association with perceptions of ongoing development. This study is the first one to describe age-related change trajectories in multiple dimensions of SPA and significant predictors of these change trajectories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between perceived friendship and proximity networks among Tanzanian Hadza

In humans, measures of social integration are usually based on self-reported friendships and interview-derived data. However, such measures do not take into account the actual number of social contacts an individual has, a variable that has been shown to have significant impacts on an individual’s health and well-being. In recent years advances in ‘bio-logging’ – an automated system that registers an individual’s (physical) position relative to others – have made it easier to quantify actual physical proximity between individuals. Here, we use reported friendships and GPS-derived proximity data obtained from 81 adult Hadza men and women living in northern Tanzania to directly compare perceived friendship networks with social networks based on physical proximity. Overall, the results of this study show that even though the pattern of social relationships is similar in both networks (ie individuals tend to have stronger proximity ties with nominated best friends and vice versa), individual measures of social integration, such as the number of social partners and network centrality, do not correspond to each other in the two types of social networks. For example, being central in self-reported friendship networks does not correspond with being central in proximity networks. We discuss these findings in light of study limitations, including a small sample size and challenges regarding comparing networks of different structure.

Social Integration and Risk of Dementia Among Older Adults

We examine the relationship between social integration and cognitive impairment and dementia among older adults using longitudinal data from Waves 1-8 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). The sample includes 7,492 respondents age 65 and older at baseline. We test multidimensional measures of social integration and cognitive well-being using discrete-time hazard models. The risk of dementia is calculated by a series of performance-based tests. Measures include levels of dementia: no dementia, cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND), and dementia, and three domains of cognition functioning: orientation, executive function, and memory. Social integration is an additive index measured by several questions, including marital status, living arrangement, social network, social contact, and social participation. Our results indicate that people with higher social integration have a lower risk of both cognitive impairment (not dementia) and dementia compared to those with lower social integration. This pattern continued across specific domains of cognitive functioning, including lower risk of orientation impairment, executive function impairment, and memory impairment for those with higher social integration. Tests of both gender and racial interactions did not yield any significant differences. Our findings demonstrate the strong association between social integration and lower risk of dementia among older adults. This study can speak to policy makers as the life expectancy of Americans increases and the aging population grows, highlighting the importance of giving support to older adults who are lack of social connectedness.

Contextual effects of social integration and disintegration on health status: evidence from South Korea

BackgroundMany studies have shown that various social integration variables represented by social capital are beneficial to communities, including collective health. However, the rapid decline in fertility rates and the breakup of familyism in developed countries require a new approach to social disintegration, but the literature is insufficient. Here, we explored the contextual effects of social integration and social disintegration on the health of individuals.MethodsThe research data consist of merged datasets of 6909 respondents who were quota-sampled by approximately 30 people from 229 local governments in Korea. The individual-level independent variable is a social integration measure consisting of 26 questions in four areas. The community-level independent variables are five integral and aggregate variables extracted from 81 indicators. The dependent variable is self-rated health status. Potential confounders are gender, age, annual income, educational attainment, district type, and the number of beds in medical institutions per 1000 people.ResultsThe results showed that at the individual level, the higher the inclusive attitude of in- and out-of-networks, after adjusting for potential confounders, the less likely the respondent belongs to the unhealthy group (p < 0.001). At the community level, the higher the proportion of single-person households in a community after adjusting for potential confounders, the less likely the respondent belongs to the unhealthy group (p < 0.05). The effect size was 0.22.ConclusionThus far, social integration has been preferred, with the positive aspects of social capital being emphasized. However, this study shows that in some cases, social disintegration can instead positively influence an individual’s health. Therefore, further studies of the various conditions of social context effects on health are necessary.

Abstract A079: Social-pain clusters in diverse women with breast cancer, and associations with sociodemographic factors and mortality

Abstract Background: Social factors and physical pain are related bidirectionally and as a function of temperament and disease processes, but the relevance of this to population research is unknown. We developed social-pain clusters, or groups that were similar with regard to social and pain characteristics, in a large, population-based cohort of women with breast cancer, evaluating associations of resulting clusters with sociodemographic factors and mortality. Methods: The study population included 4,279 women from the Pathways Study, a prospective cohort study of women diagnosed from 2006-2013 with stages I-IV breast cancer in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, who provided data on social (social integration, social well-being, loneliness, social well-being) and bodily pain measures at study baseline. Measures included the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support survey, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, a single-item measure of loneliness from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression measure, and a previously derived measure of social integration (Kroenke et al.). We used latent class analysis to develop social-pain clusters and used BIC criteria to select the optimal number of clusters. We further evaluated associations of age, race/ethnicity, education, and income with clusters in multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analyses, with adjustment for depressive symptoms, and also evaluated associations of clusters with mortality using Cox models. Results: Cluster analysis produced three clusters including a “resilient” cluster characterized by low social and pain symptomatology (including 30% of study participants), a “distressed” cluster characterized by high symptomatology (20% of participants), and an intermediate cluster characterized by high pain and compromised social function but otherwise high support (50% of participants). Sociodemographic factors associated with higher odds of categorization in the distressed (vs. resilient) cluster included age (OR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.05), income &amp;lt;$25K (OR=9.30, 95% CI: 5.72-15.13), API race/ethnicity (OR=2.51, 95% CI: 1.72-3.67), and graduate-level education (OR=1.60, 95% CI: 1.16-2.22). Age, low income, and API race/ethnicity were also related to higher odds of categorization in the intermediate (vs. resilient) cluster. However, those in the distressed (HR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.06-1.80), but not intermediate (HR=1.05, CI: 0.83-1.33), cluster had a higher risk of overall mortality. Conclusions: Age, low income, and API race/ethnicity predicted higher social and pain symptomatology in a population-based breast cancer cohort, independent of depressive symptoms. The clustering of these symptoms was related to higher overall mortality. Reference: Kroenke CH, Kwan ML, Neugut AI, Ergas IJ, Wright JD, Caan BJ, Hershman D, Kushi LH. Social networks, social support mechanisms, and quality of life after breast cancer diagnosis. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2013;139(2):515-27. Citation Format: Candyce H. Kroenke, Stacey Alexeeff, Scarlett Lin Gomez, Marilyn L. Kwan, Lawrence H. Kushi. Social-pain clusters in diverse women with breast cancer, and associations with sociodemographic factors and mortality [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A079.

Motivational and cognitive factors linked to community integration in homeless veterans: Study 2 - clinically diverse sample.

In an initial study (Study 1), we found that motivation predicted community integration (i.e. functional recovery) 12 months after receiving housing in formerly homeless Veterans with a psychotic disorder. The current study examined whether the same pattern would be found in a broader, more clinically diverse, homeless Veteran sample without psychosis. We examined four categories of variables as potential predictors of community integration in non-psychotic Veterans: perception, non-social cognition, social cognition, and motivation at baseline (after participants were engaged in a permanent supported housing program but before receiving housing) and a 12-month follow-up. A total of 82 Veterans had a baseline assessment and 41 returned for testing after 12 months. The strongest longitudinal association was between an interview-based measure of motivation (the motivation and pleasure subscale from the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms) at baseline and measures of social integration at 12 months. In addition, cross-lagged panel analyses were consistent with a causal influence of general psychiatric symptoms at baseline driving social integration at 12 months, and reduced expressiveness at baseline driving independent living at 12 months, but there were no significant causal associations with measures of motivation. The findings from this study complement and reinforce those in Veterans with psychosis. Across these two studies, our findings suggest that motivational factors are associated at baseline and at 12 months and are particularly important for understanding and improving community integration in recently-housed Veterans across psychiatric diagnoses.

Social Integration and Diurnal Cortisol Decline: The Role of Psychosocial and Behavioral Pathways.

A growing number of studies have associated various measures of social integration, the diversity of social roles in which one participates, with alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) functioning. The pathways through which social integration may be linked to HPA functioning, however, are as yet unknown. The present study examined whether daily social interactions, affective responses, health behaviors, and personality help explain the association between social integration and diurnal cortisol slope. A sample of 456 healthy, employed adults (53.9% female, 82.0% white, 72.2% bachelor's degree or greater, mean age of 42.86 years) completed a 4-day ecological momentary assessment protocol that measured cortisol, social interactions, affect, sleep, and physical activity at frequent intervals throughout the day. Social integration was measured at baseline. Regression results controlling for age, sex, race, and education indicated that more socially integrated individuals showed steeper cortisol slopes (B = -0.00253, p = .006). Exploratory analyses suggested that the consistency (i.e., reduced variability) in nightly sleep midpoint partially explained this association (B = -0.00042, 95% confidence interval = -0.00095 to -0.00001). Personality, mood, social interaction patterns, and nonsleep health behavior differences did not account for the association between social integration and HPA activity. This study replicates previous findings linking social integration and HPA functioning, and it examines patterns of nightly sleep as possible pathways through which the association may operate. Results have implications for understanding mechanisms for health risk and for development of future interventions.