Secondary Stressors Research Articles

Caregiver Well-Being and Burden: Variations by Race/Ethnicity and Care Recipient Nativity Status.

Background and ObjectivesDespite growing diversity among the aging population and extensive previous research on racial/ethnic minority caregivers, little research has been conducted on the potentially unique experiences and outcomes of informal caregivers of foreign-born care recipients. Using nationally representative data and the Stress Process Model, the current study examined the differences in caregiver outcomes (care burden, psychological well-being, and self-rated health) by care recipient nativity status (U.S.-born vs. foreign-born) and the extent to which caregiver outcomes vary by care recipient nativity status and caregiver race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and Others).Research Design and MethodsThe current study used Round 5 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study and the National Study of Caregiving (N = 1,436). We conducted ordinary least squares regression to analyze the differences in caregiver’s outcomes by care recipient nativity status and caregiver race/ethnicity and to investigate the impacts of the inclusion of caregiving factors (background factors, primary stressors, secondary stressors, and resources).ResultsRegression analyses showed that only care burden significantly varied by care recipient nativity status after controlling for covariates. Caregivers of foreign-born care recipients reported a higher burden. However, when interactions of care recipient nativity status × caregiver race/ethnicity were introduced, non-Hispanic black and Hispanic caregivers of foreign-born care recipients were more likely to report better psychological well-being and self-rated health compared to their counterparts. Across caregiver groups, better caregiver–care recipient relationship quality and less caregiver chronic conditions were associated with less burden and better caregiver psychological well-being and self-rated health.Discussion and ImplicationsCare recipient nativity status and caregiver race/ethnicity may have complex effects on caregiving experiences. Given the observed significant interaction effects for caregiver psychological well-being and self-rated health, cultural factors may affect the extent to which these caregivers appraise their caregiving. Future research should delve into the appropriate ways to assess care stress as well as resilience among each caregiver group. Our results indicate the need for research, education, and practice that assess cultural and within-group differences among caregivers and inform needed changes to structural barriers.

Connecting Models of Family Stress to Inequality: Parental Arrest and Family Life

AbstractObjectiveWe expand upon family stress models, highlighting how stressors are structured by broader contexts of social inequality, to understand how criminal justice contact is associated with family functioning.BackgroundWe draw attention to two stages of existing family stress models. First, exposure to family stressors isdifferential, based on status positions within the social structure. Second, stressors influence families via two types of stress proliferation—from one individual to the family unit and from primary to secondary stressors—that are both shaped by social inequality.MethodTo empirically illustrate this framework, we use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,074) to provide the first systematic examination of the relationship between one commonly experienced stressor, parental arrest, and family life.ResultsThe findings document the differential social patterning of mothers' and fathers' arrest for families. Mothers' recent arrest (but not fathers' recent arrest) is a primary familial stressor, with these associations concentrated among partnerships that were residential (rather than nonresidential) prior to arrest. Mothers' arrest engenders the secondary stressor of material hardship, and together the primary and secondary stressors are associated with increased relationship dissolution, decreased relationship quality, and decreased coparenting.ConclusionsBy highlighting unequal exposure to stressors and differential consequences of stressors, we suggest that the family stress model can explain inequality between families.

Mental health services utilization after Mariana dam burst

Abstract Background The global burden of mental health conditions is increasing, especially in middle- and low-income countries and frequently the quality of mental health services is lower than the quality of services for other conditions. Disasters may increase this burden through their direct impact or due to secondary stressors, such as the preclusion of access to essential services. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of Mariana dam burst (Brazil) in November 2015, in the utilization of public mental health services by the population that experienced an interruption of water supply after the event. Methods We used data from DATASUS, the database of the Brazilian public health system, analyzing data from 34 months before to 36 months after the event. We defined as affected the population living in the municipalities of Minas Gerais state that had an interruption of water supply after the event and the rest of the state population as the comparison group. We designed an Interrupted time-series analysis to evaluate both immediate and gradual changes in use of mental health services after the accident. Results The affected population included 381,749 inhabitants and the comparison group 20,487,352 inhabitants. The monthly rate of mental health visits in the affected population in the beginning of the series was 296 (CI 182 to 409, p < 0.001) per 100.000 person-month. Comparing the groups after the event, we observed a non-statistically significant higher increase in the rate of visits immediately after the event of 115.96 (CI -30.00 to 261.92, p = 0.118) and a significant increase in the monthly rate of visits (change in slope) of 15.55 (CI 8.19 to 22.92, p < 0.001) in the affected group. Discussion The results suggest that the event translated in a long-term increase in mental health services utilization. We believe that this study presents an innovative methodology on the assessment of mental health services after disasters and that it could be adapted to other contexts. Key messages Indirect impacts of disasters may be associated with long-term changes in the utilization of mental health services. Interrupted time series using routine data are useful tools for the assessment of health services utilization following disasters.

Psychological impacts of the 2019 Quebec floods: findings from a large population-based study

Abstract Background During Spring 2019, many regions in Quebec (Canada) experienced severe floods. As much as 5,245 households were flooded and 7,452 persons were evacuated, causing extensive material and human damages. A large population-based study was therefore conducted to examine medium-term effects of this natural disaster on health and well-being. Methods Six to eight months post-floods, households located in the flooded zones (in one of the 6 Quebec regions the most severely affected) were randomly invited to participate to a telephone or a web-based survey (response rate=15.3%). Several psychological health outcomes were examined, including psychological distress (based on the 6-item Kessler Scale, score 0-24) and post-traumatic stress (based on the 15-item Impact of Event Scale, score 0-75). These outcomes were compared among 3 levels of exposure using Chi-square test: flooded (floodwater in ≥ 1 liveable room), disrupted (floodwater in non-liveable areas, loss of utilities, loss of access to services, or evacuation), and unaffected. Results Of the 3,437 participating households, 349 (10.2%) were flooded and 1230 (35.8%) were disrupted (but not flooded) during the 2019 floods. A steep gradient was observed for moderate/severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress (score ≥ 26) according to the level of exposure to flooding (unaffected: 3.0%; disrupted: 14.6%; flooded: 44.1%; p < 0.0005). For psychological distress (score ≥ 7), the baseline level (i.e. unaffected group) was 7.3% while it reached 15.0% and 38.4% in the disrupted and the flooded groups, respectively (p < 0.0005). Conclusions This study is among the largest to examine the psychological impacts of flooding. The magnitude of effects observed in flooded households is consistent with the literature and calls for stronger social and economic measures to support flood victims. Such support should help coping with initial stress, but also alleviating secondary stressors classically observed in post-flood settings. Key messages Psychological impacts of floods may persist for several months and may be observed in both flooded and disrupted people. Stronger social and economic measures are needed to better support flood victims, not only in the short but also in the longer term.

Identifying the Stressors Impacting Rescued Avian Wildlife.

Simple SummaryStress evaluation in wildlife is valuable tool for rehabilitation and injury prevention. This pilot study investigated categories of stress in rescued birds. We determined three categories of stressors (preliminary, primary and secondary) using clinical data of rescued birds from Adelaide, South Australia. It was discovered that birds are highly susceptible to impact injuries (e.g., flying into a building window) and vehicle-related injuries as preliminary stressors, which often result in hospitalisation of birds. Immobility and abnormal behaviour represented the most common primary stressor, while the most common secondary stressors included trauma and fracture. Furthermore, the most common outcome in clinics due to exposure of birds to these three stressor categories was euthanasia.Urbanisation exposes avian wildlife to an array of environmental stressors that result in clinical admission and hospitalisation. The aim of this pilot study was to conduct a retrospective analysis of clinical data and characterise this based on categories of stress experienced by avian wildlife patients. The results from this study indicated that impact injuries (n = 33, 25%) and vehicle-related injuries (n = 33, 25%) were the most common occurring preliminary stressors that resulted in the hospitalisation of avian wildlife. The most common outcome of avian patients that suffered from vehicle-related injuries was euthanasia (n = 15, 45%), as was avian patients that suffered from impact injuries (n = 16, 48%). Immobility (n = 105, 61%) and abnormal behaviour (n = 24, 14%) were the most commonly occurring primary stressors of avian patients. Finally, trauma (n = 51, 32%) and fractures (n = 44, 27%) were the most common occurring secondary stressors in avian patients. The most common outcome of all these stressors was euthanasia. This study provided further evidence towards the notion that human- and urbanisation-related stressors are the main causes of hospitalisation of avian wildlife, but also indicated that birds admitted as a result of human-related stressors are more likely to be euthanised than released. This study also provided a categorisation system for the stressors identified in avian wildlife patients (preliminary, primary and secondary) that may be used to monitor the stress categories of wildlife patients and gain a deeper understanding of the complex notion of stress.

Impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater biota across spatial scales and ecosystems.

Climate and land-use change drive a suite of stressors that shape ecosystems and interact to yield complex ecological responses (that is, additive, antagonistic and synergistic effects). We know little about the spatial scales relevant for the outcomes of such interactions and little about effect sizes. These knowledge gaps need to be filled to underpin future land management decisions or climate mitigation interventions for protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems. This study combines data across scales from 33 mesocosm experiments with those from 14 river basins and 22 cross-basin studies in Europe, producing 174 combinations of paired-stressor effects on a biological response variable. Generalized linear models showed that only one of the two stressors had a significant effect in 39% of the analysed cases, 28% of the paired-stressor combinations resulted in additive effects and 33% resulted in interactive (antagonistic, synergistic, opposing or reversal) effects. For lakes, the frequencies of additive and interactive effects were similar for all spatial scales addressed, while for rivers these frequencies increased with scale. Nutrient enrichment was the overriding stressor for lakes, with effects generally exceeding those of secondary stressors. For rivers, the effects of nutrient enrichment were dependent on the specific stressor combination and biological response variable. These results vindicate the traditional focus of lake restoration and management on nutrient stress, while highlighting that river management requires more bespoke management solutions.

Factors Associated with Distress in Caregivers of People with Personality Disorders.

The present study investigated how stressors experienced by caregivers of people with personality disorders relate to each other and psychological distress, using the Stress Process Model (Pearlin et al. in Gerontologist 30(5):583-594, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/30.5.583 , 1990). A community sample of caregivers (N = 106) completed an online survey. Partial Least Squares Path Modelling revealed that caregivers who were male, younger, or residing with their loved one were more likely to experience stressors. Salient primary stressors included the caregivers' worry and care-receivers' levels of instrumental demands and interpersonal problems. Important secondary stressors included strains in the caregivers' schedules, family relationships, and health, as well as reduced mastery and caregiving esteem. The model provided preliminary support for a pathway from demographic and relationship characteristics, through primary and secondary stressors, to heightened psychological distress. The present study clarifies the way caregiving stressors give rise to psychological distress; directions for future research are discussed.

Impact of earthquake exposure, family adversity and peer problems on anxiety-related emotional disorders in adolescent survivors three years after the Ya'an earthquake

BackgroundTraumatic experiences often give rise to an increased risk of anxiety problems in adolescents. This study investigated the anxiety prevalence in adolescent earthquake survivors and the effect of secondary stressors such as bullying, poverty, or being “left behind” by parents working in the cities. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted three years after the 2013 Ya'an (China) earthquake on 6,132 adolescents aged 9 to 18 years from 11 public schools in three severely earthquake affected counties. The participants completed self-report questionnaires that assessed anxiety, earthquake exposure, poverty level, left-behind duration and bullying. ResultsSeparation anxiety (38.7%) and panic symptoms (32.2%) were found to be the primary contributors to anxiety in this adolescent sample. The regression and structural equation modeling indicated that adolescents who had suffered from high earthquake exposure, peer bullying, being left-behind, or poverty were more likely to report problems in all anxiety subcategories, with females reporting more anxiety symptoms than males. The likelihood of all anxiety disorders except separation anxiety was found to increase with age. ConclusionsThis study highlighted the need for post-disaster interventions aimed at minimizing post-earthquake adversity such as peer bullying and specialized psychological services that target subgroups that might be more susceptible to anxiety-related emotional problems. The results could be used to identify possible markers for anxiety problems in children who had not experienced any major traumas.

Age Differences and Similarities in Associated Stressors and Outcomes Among Young, Midlife, and Older Adult Family Caregivers.

Few studies have simultaneously compared caregivers in all stages of the adult life course. This study examined age differences in associations among primary stressors (caregiver burden which includes hours of provided care and number of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living performed), secondary stressors (financial and employment strains), and caregiver outcomes (emotional strain and physical strain). Using Pearlin's Stress Process Model (1990) and the Caregiving in the United States 2015 dataset, 1,156 caregivers were identified (including 278 young adults aged 18-39 years, 464 midlife adults aged 40-59 years, and 414 older adults aged 60-80 years). Post hoc analyses revealed that compared to older adults, young adults reported less caregiver burden, less physical strain, and greater financial strain. Linear regression analyses revealed associations between caregiver burden and financial strain with emotional and physical strain for all respondents. Findings emphasize the need for age-specific interventions.

Endurance or decline of emergent groups following a flood disaster: Implications for community resilience

Previous social psychological research has shown that new group relationships can emerge among disaster survivors due to a shared sense of common fate, facilitating the provision of social support and collective coordination. Emergent groups and the support they mobilize over time can be crucial for the recovery period and overall community resilience, but such communities decline over time. What is not known are the psychological group processes that might contribute to or mitigate this decline. In this interview study with 19 flood-affected residents from the city of York, UK, conducted 15 months after the 2015 floods, we explored the factors that affected the decline or persistence of emergent groups in a post-flood community. Through a theoretical thematic analysis, we show how emergent groups can decline due to a lack of common fate, post-flood identity shifts, or perceived inequality. However, we also show that a sense of togetherness can be maintained through past shared adversity, due to the persistence of secondary stressors, intentional collective acts such as commemorations, and through the ongoing provision of social support. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Maternal Differential Treatment and Psychological Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Marital Tension and Sibling Tension?

Past research used equity theory and social comparison theory to explain the direct effect of maternal differential treatment (MDT) on psychological well-being. However, this focus on psychological pathways ignores possible social pathways, such as indirect effects of MDT on well-being through disrupting other family relationships. This study uses stress proliferation theory to argue that MDT, as a primary stressor in mother-child relationships, can produce secondary stressors in other family relationships (e.g., sibling tension and marital tension), which in turn leads to lower psychological well-being. To investigate this mechanism, we conducted multilevel mediation analysis using data collected from 720 adult children nested within 308 families, as part of the Within-Family Differences Study. We found that sibling tension mediates the association between adult children's perceptions of maternal disfavoritism and their psychological well-being-a process we call the stress proliferation of maternal disfavoritism. In contrast, adult children's perceptions of maternal favoritism cannot trigger this stress proliferation process of producing marital tension nor sibling tension. The evaluation of the stress proliferation process of maternal favoritism and disfavoritism can help us to understand the difference in effects across various dimensions of MDT. This study contributes to the literature on social relationships as social determinants of health by investigating how intergenerational relationships are connected to other family relationships to affect family members' health.

Assessing opportunities to support coral reef climate change refugia in MPAs: A case study at the Revillagigedo Archipelago

Coral reef refugia are habitats which possess physical, biological and ecological characteristics that make them likely to be relatively resilient to future climate change. Identification of refugia locations will be important to ensure suitable marine conservation planning is undertaken to protect sites where coral ecosystems will be better preserved now and in the future. This paper presents (1) a review of current knowledge of the oceanographic conditions and coral community in the Revillagigedo Archipelago Large Scale Marine Protected Area, (2) the first assessment of the potential for the Revillagigedo Archipelago to act as a climate refugia site for corals and coral reefs in the eastern tropical Pacific, and (3) consequent management and learning opportunities, to inform reef conservation both locally and globally. Through utilising published literature, remote and in situ environmental data, and field observations it was found that the Revillagigedo area exhibits a combination of distinctive characteristics in the coral community and in oceanographic processes which support conditions of refugia. The potential for refugia is further enhanced due to the absence of significant secondary anthropogenic stressors. This leads to a recommendation to establish the Revillagigedo as a globally significant ‘sentinel site’ where, through long-term monitoring of oceanographic conditions and of the coral and associated ecosystems, the effects of climate change can be quantified, and the effectiveness of specific refugia attributes established. This information may then be used to underpin the recognition of potential coral refugia elsewhere, and to guide MPA designation and management decisions to enhance their effectiveness.

Psychometric assessment of the Post- Secondary Student Stressors Index (PSSI)

BackgroundPrevious research has linked excessive stress among post-secondary students to poor academic performance and poor mental health. Despite attempts to ameliorate mental health challenges at post-secondary institutions, there exists a gap in the evaluation of the specific sources of stress for students within the post-secondary setting.MethodsThe goal of this study was to develop a new instrument to better assess the sources of post-secondary student stress. Over the course of two years, the Post-Secondary Student Stressors Index (PSSI) was created in collaboration with post-secondary students as co-developers and subject matter experts. In this study, we used a combination of individual cognitive interviews (n = 11), an online consensus survey modeled after a traditional Delphi method (n = 65), and an online pre- (n = 535) and post-test (n = 350) survey to psychometrically evaluate the PSSI using samples of students from Ontario, Canada. We collected four types of evidence for validity, including: content evidence, response processes evidence, internal structure evidence, and relations to other variables. The test-retest reliability of the instrument was also evaluated.ResultsThe PSSI demonstrated strong psychometric properties. Content validation and response processes evidence was derived from active student involvement throughout the development and refinement of the tool. Exploratory factor analysis suggested that the structure of the PSSI reflects the internal structure of an index, rather than a scale, as expected. Test-retest reliability of the instrument was comparable to existing, established instruments. Finally, the PSSI demonstrated good relationships with like measures of stress, distress, and resilience, in the hypothesized directions.ConclusionsThe PSSI is a 46-item inventory that will allow post-secondary institutions to pinpoint the most severe and frequently occurring stressors on their campus. This knowledge will facilitate appropriate targeting of priority areas, and help institutions to better align their mental health promotion and mental illness prevention programming with the needs of their campus.

Association Between Character Strengths and Caregiver Burden: Hope as a Mediator

Caregiver burden is the negative impact that caregivers perceive as a result of their caregiving tasks. According to the stress process model, contextual variables and primary and secondary stressors produce negative mental health outcomes in caregivers. However, this relationship may be buffered by psychological resources which act as mediators/moderators. Although there is research on the mediating/moderating effect of mastery, coping strategies, and social support, the effect of psychological values remains unexplored. This study aimed to explore, after controlling for contextual variables and stressors, which character strengths are associated with caregiver burden. We also sought to analyze the mediating/moderating effect of character strengths on the relationship between burden and the significant contextual variables and stressors. To this end, a sample of 115 caregivers of people diagnosed with dementia completed a questionnaire battery. Correlational analysis, multiple regression modeling, and mediation and moderation analysis were performed. The results revealed that the caregivers who experience the greatest burden are those who live with the care recipient, who score higher on perceived stress, who feel their leisure time is limited, and who perceive more financial strain. Higher scores on caregiver burden were associated with lower scores on hope, zest, social intelligence, and love. Regression modeling indicated that hope was the strength which best predicted burden and that hope mediated the relationship between perceived stress and burden. No moderation effect was found. The results suggest that hope-based programs could enhance positive emotions and reduce the perceived negative impact of caregiving.

The Role of Emergent Shared Identity in Psychosocial Support among Refugees of Conflict in Developing Countries

In spite of the harsh conditions that refugees of conflicts experience for many years in exile in developing countries, there is evidence showing that refugees of conflict help each other. This study aimed to explore one possible mechanism underlying such support and sought to answer three main research questions: Do refugees share an emergent identity that facilitates support among them (similar to people affected by disasters)? Does this identity-based support have an impact on their health? If so, does this positive impact help to mitigate the negative effect of exile stressors on refugees’ health? We carried out two questionnaire surveys among Syrian refugees, first in Turkey (n = 234) and then in Jordan (n = 156). The data were analysed using path analysis to test hypotheses and build a theoretical model. We found evidence suggesting a process of shared social identity-based support among the refugees. We found that the general health of refugees to be predicted mainly by stress, but we also found that collective efficacy has a positive association with health, which suggests a buffering effect. These results shed light on the process of social support among refugees of war and suggest the role of shared identity, which can have a limited buffering effect on the health of the refugees, though not enough to fully mitigate the negative effect of secondary stressors. However, we suggest that such a process can be utilised as base for interventions that approach refugees of war as a group (i.e. at community rather than individual level).

Male and Female Partner-Caregivers' Burden: Does It Get Worse Over Time?

The general view is that partner-caregiver burden increases over time but findings are inconsistent. Moreover, the pathways underlying caregiver burden may differ between men and women. This study examines to what degree and why partner-caregiver burden changes over time. It adopts Pearlin's Caregiver Stress Process Model, as it is expected that higher primary and secondary stressors will increase burden and larger amounts of resources will lower burden. Yet, the impact of stressors and resources may change over time. The wear-and-tear model predicts an increase of burden due to a stronger impact of stressors and lower impact of resources over time. Alternatively, the adaptation model predicts a decrease of burden due to a lower impact of stressors and higher impact of resources over time. We used 2 observations with a 1-year interval of 279 male and 443 female partner-caregivers, derived from the Netherlands Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Survey Minimum Data Set. We applied multilevel regression analysis, stratified by gender. Adjusted for all predictors, caregiver burden increased over time for both men and women. For female caregivers, the impact of poor spousal health on burden increased and the impact of fulfillment decreased over time. Among male caregivers, the impact of predictors did not change over time. The increase of burden over time supports the wear-and-tear model, in particular for women. This study highlights the need for gender-specific interventions that are focused on enabling older partners to be better prepared for long-term partner-care.

Motor coordination problems and psychological distress in young adults: A test of the Environmental Stress Hypothesis

Background and aimsThe Environmental Stress Hypothesis (ESH) has been used to examine how the relationship between poor motor coordination and psychological distress is affected by physical health and psychosocial factors. However, work applying the ESH is still limited, and no studies have used this framework with adults. The current investigation aims to examine the association between motor coordination and psychological distress among emerging adults, and examine potential mediators to this relationship based on the ESH. Methods225 young adults aged 17–23 years completed a survey of motor coordination, physical activity, secondary stressors (i.e., general stress and global relationships), perceived social support, self-concept, and psychological distress. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine mediating pathways and overall model fit. ResultsThe final model of the ESH showed good model fit (x2 = 83.24, p < .01; RMSEA=0.056; NNFI = 0.927; CFI = 0.954; GFI = 0.947), and indicated that the relationship between poor motor coordination and psychological distress was mediated by secondary stressors, perceived social support, and self-concept. ConclusionsThis study highlights the effect of poor motor coordination on psychological distress in young adults, and suggests that interventions should target psychosocial well-being, in addition to motor coordination, to prevent psychological distress.

The Effects of a Comprehensive Psychosocial Intervention on Secondary Stressors and Social Support for Adult Child Caregivers of Persons With Dementia

Background and ObjectivesMany evaluations of nonpharmacologic interventions for family members of persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias (ADRDs) exist, but few consider effects on outcomes that are pertinent to caregivers’ roles and relationships. The current study evaluated the efficacy of the New York University Caregiver Intervention-Adult Child (NYUCI-AC) on perceptions of family conflict, role conflict (effects of family caregiving and time, family, and social life), and perceived social support for adult child caregivers of relatives with ADRD over a 3-year period.Research Design and MethodsA single-blinded randomized controlled trial design was used. One-hundred and seven adult child caregivers were enrolled in the NYUCI-AC and randomly assigned to a treatment or contact control group. Assessments were scheduled to be completed every 4 months during the first year of participation and every 6 months thereafter for up to 3 years. Individual growth curve models were utilized to ascertain the effects of the NYUCI-AC on change in family conflict, role conflict, and perceptions of social support.ResultsAmong the entire sample, role conflict significantly (p < .05) declined and satisfaction with instrumental assistance increased over the course of the study, whereas family conflict slightly increased over the initial study period and then declined slightly. The findings indicated that the NYUCI-AC did not exert statistically significant effects on changes in family conflict, role conflict, or perceptions of social support over the 3-year study period.Discussion and ImplicationsAlthough the clinical content of some dementia caregiver interventions is tailored to the specific needs of each caregiver and family, the outcomes selected to judge the efficacy of these interventions might not follow similar principles. Incorporating clinical content and evaluation outcomes that are family-centered will help to advance the state of the art of dementia caregiving interventions.

The role of shared social identity in mutual support among refugees of conflict: An ethnographic study of Syrian refugees in Jordan

AbstractIn the midst of an unprecedented refugee crisis and the shortfall of aid organization resources, a shift toward utilizing the capacity for collective resilience in refugee communities could be helpful. This paper explores experiences of psychosocial social support among a community of Syrian urban refugees in Jordan, especially the kind of support that helps them deal with secondary stressors. We were specifically interested in the role of shared social identity as a basis of support and the sources of such shared identity. We conducted an 8‐month ethnography that included observations and semistructured interviews with 13 refugees. We found many examples of support among refugees, on both personal and collective levels. Some of this support was based on sharing the identity of “refugee” that stemmed from a sense of common fate. This is similar to the process identified in the literature on disasters. Psychological membership in the refugee group is stigmatic, but it can also lead to positive outcomes in line with the social cure perspective. However, we also found examples of support that were value‐based or based on pre‐existing interpersonal networks. Implications of the findings for models of group processes in stressful situations and the practical question of refugee support are discussed.

Childhood Disadvantage, Social and Psychological Stress, and Substance Use Among Homeless Youth: A Life Stress Framework.

We used a life stress framework to examine linkages between distal or primary stressors (e.g., child abuse) and proximal or secondary stressors (e.g., street victimization) and their association with substance use among 150 youth experiencing homelessness in the Midwestern United States. Results revealed that numerous primary stressors such as number of times youth ran from home and number of foster care placements were associated with secondary stressors, such as anxiety, total duration of homelessness, and street victimization. Only street physical victimization (e.g., been beaten up since leaving home) was associated with greater substance use. Our findings provide a more holistic picture of both distal and proximal life stressors that these young people experience and reveal the complexity of issues that service providers must acknowledge when working with this population.