Social Support For Others Research Articles

Vulnerability and agency across treatment-seeking journeys for acutely ill children: how family members navigate complex healthcare before, during and after hospitalisation in a rural Kenyan setting

BackgroundChild mortality rates during hospitalisation for acute illness and after discharge are unacceptably high in many under-resourced settings. Childhood vulnerability to recurrent illness, and death, is linked to their families’ situations and ability to make choices and act (their agency). We examined vulnerability and agency across treatment-seeking journeys for acutely ill children and considered the implications for policy and practice.MethodA qualitative sub-study was embedded within the prospective CHAIN Network cohort study, which is investigating mechanisms of inpatient and post-hospital discharge mortality among acutely ill young children across a spectrum of nutritional status. Primary data were collected from household members of 20 purposively selected cohort children over 18 months through formal interviews (total n = 74), complemented by informal discussions and observations. Data were analysed using narrative and thematic approaches.ResultsTreatment-seeking pathways were often long and complex, particularly for children diagnosed as severely malnourished. Family members’ stories reveal that children’s carers, usually mothers, navigate diverse challenges related to intersecting vulnerabilities at individual, household and facility levels. Specific challenges include the costs of treatment-seeking, confusing and conflicting messaging on appropriate care and nutrition, and poor continuity of care. Strong power inequities were observed between family members and health staff, with many mothers feeling blamed for their child’s condition. Caregivers’ agency, as demonstrated in decision-making and actions, often drew on the social support of others but was significantly constrained by their situation and broader structural drivers.ConclusionTo support children’s care and recovery, health systems must be more responsive to the needs of families facing multiple and interacting vulnerabilities. Reducing incurred treatment costs, improving interpersonal quality of care, and strengthening continuity of care across facilities is essential. Promising interventions need to be co-designed with community representatives and health providers and carefully tested for unintended negative consequences and potential for sustainable scale-up.

Assessment of Adaptive Engagement and Support Model for People With Chronic Health Conditions in Online Health Communities: Combined Content Analysis.

BackgroundWith the pervasiveness of social media, online health communities (OHCs) are an important tool for facilitating information sharing and support among people with chronic health conditions. Importantly, OHCs offer insight into conversations about the lived experiences of people with particular health conditions. Little is known about the aspects of OHCs that are important to maintain safe and productive conversations that support health.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the provision of social support and the role of active moderation in OHCs developed in accordance with and managed by an adaptive engagement model. This study also aimed to identify key elements of the model that are central to the development, maintenance, and adaptation of OHCs for people with chronic health conditions.MethodsThis study used combined content analysis, a mixed methods approach, to analyze sampled Facebook post comments from 6 OHCs to understand how key aspects of the adaptive engagement model facilitate different types of social support. OHCs included in this study are for people living with multiple sclerosis, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. An exploratory approach was used in the analysis, and initial codes were grouped into thematic categories and then confirmed through thematic network analysis using the Dedoose qualitative analysis software tool. Thematic categories were compared for similarities and differences for each of the 6 OHCs and by topic discussed.ResultsData on the reach and engagement of the Facebook posts and the analysis of the sample of 5881 comments demonstrate that people with chronic health conditions want to engage on the web and find value in supporting and sharing their experiences with others. Most comments made in these Facebook posts were expressions of social support for others living with the same health condition (3405/5881, 57.89%). Among the comments with an element of support, those where community members validated the knowledge or experiences of others were most frequent (1587/3405, 46.61%), followed by the expression of empathy and understanding (1089/3405, 31.98%). Even among posts with more factual content, such as insurance coverage issues, user comments still had frequent expressions of support for others (80/213, 37.5%).ConclusionsThe analysis of this OHC adaptive engagement model in action shows that the foundational elements—social support, engagement, and moderation—can effectively be used to provide a rich and dynamic community experience for individuals with chronic health conditions. Social support is demonstrated in a variety of ways, including sharing information or validating information shared by others, expressions of empathy, and sharing encouraging statements with others.

Understanding Information Seeking about the Health of Others: Applying the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking to Proxy Online Health Information Seeking

A significant proportion of online health information seeking is related to the health of others, such as the one of family members and friends, instead of an individual’s own health. Understanding these behaviors of proxy seekers, i.e., individuals who seek information about the health of others, can improve the transmission of health information to and social support for others. The comprehensive model of information seeking (CMIS) is an established model that predicts information seeking for the individual seeker. The model was modified and extended with concepts of social network ties to predict proxy information seeking intentions and the resulting social support intentions. Hypothetical scenarios of persons from the social network suffering from depression were varied in severity of disease and the relationship closeness to test their influence on model variables. Structural equation modeling (N = 607) served to evaluate the associations between the health-related factors and proxy health information seeking intentions, as well as support intentions. The results confirmed the direct effects of beliefs on information-carrier utility. Contrary to expectations, demographics, experience, and salience had direct effects on proxy information seeking intentions. The results indicate that a modified CMIS helps to better meet surrogate seekers’ needs for supporting patients.

Influence of marriage on mental health: sociological studies review

The author substantiates the importance of sociological analysis of mental health factors in modern conditions through the example of married couples. The paper reveals the essence of sociological concepts (theory of stress, structural strain theory, stigma theory) in the study of mental health and factors that determine it. It is established that the theory of stress considers an individual’s current state of life and negative life events to be factors determining mental health. It also indicates high risks of mental illness in groups with a low socioeconomic status. The representatives of the structural strain theory qualify weak social support for others and weak individual control over life circumstances, along with unfavorable organization of social space, as significant factors in the deterioration of mental health. It is noted that, according to the stigma theory, mentally unhealthy people become victims of stigma since others identify them as deviants, expecting corresponding behavior. Based on the analysis of a number of studies, a conclusion is drawn about the effect of marriage on mental health indicators, regardless of gender. It is revealed that some researchers point to improvement in mental health in a short term, while others do not show such dependence at all. The key role of «quality of marriage» and spouses’ satisfaction with marriage in the formation and strengthening of their mental health is noted.

#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou: Social Media Underscore the Realities of Intimate Partner Violence.

Public intimate partner violence (IPV) discourse emphasizes physical violence. In May 2016, the Twitter hashtag #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou generated a public conversation about abuse beyond physical IPV. Because of the often-disconnect between IPV research and what survivors struggle to name as abuse in their daily lives, we sought to understand how IPV discourse was unfolding as a result of the #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou hashtag. NCapture was used to collect publically available Twitter data containing the hashtag "#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou" from May 10, 2016 to May 17, 2016. Using the Duluth Power and Control Wheel (a range of tactics used by abusers to control and harm their partners) and the Women's Experience with Battering (WEB) framework (emotional and behavioral responses to being abused), we analyzed 1,229 original content tweets using qualitative content analysis. All dimensions of the Power and Control Wheel and five of six dimensions of the WEB framework were expressed via #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou; users did not express yearning for intimacy with their abusive partners. Users described one form of IPV not currently represented within the Power and Control Wheel-reproductive coercion (e.g., "#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou but he refuses to use condoms and forces you not to use contraception so you try to do it behind his back"). Two additional themes emerged; users challenged the gender pronoun of the hashtag, highlighting that abuse may happen with partners of all genders, and users provided social support for others (e.g., "#MaybeHeDoesntHitYou is real. Bruises and scars aren't the only measure of abuse! If this is you, help is there…"). Results from our study underscore the potential for social media platforms to be powerful agents for engaging public dialogue about the realities of IPV, as well as a space for seeking and providing social support about this critical women's health issue.

Spirituality and Compassionate Love in Psychiatrists and Psychiatric Social Workers

Compassionate Love leads to the most social good for those who are its recipients. However, self-benefits may also occur as a result of experiencing compassionate love for others. Mental health professionals and clinicians have long noted the positive benefits of giving to others or having altruistic orientation toward others. For example, according to the helper therapy principle, identified in social work research done with self-help groups (Reissman, 1965) doing something for others is fulfilling and can increase the self-esteem of the person providing the help. A small amount of research, much of it conducted with older adults and cross-sectionally, indicates that giving to others is associated with life satisfaction, happiness, and self-esteem (Caprara & Steca, 2005; Simmons, 1991). However, almost no research has examined the outcomes for the self of experiencing pro-social emotions, such as empathy, sympathy, or compassionate love. Feeling intense pro-social emotion, distinct from engaging in a helping behavior, may also result in many positive benefits to the self, including increased self-esteem, general positive mood, and closeness to the targets of one's empathy or compassion. Furthermore, when people themselves become the target of another's compassionate love or empathy, they may experience increase in self-esteem and good mood.Compassionate love, however, is more encompassing and can be experienced for family, friends, peripheral ties, and all ofhumanity (Sprecher & Fehr, 2005). Compassionate love is a central feature in many religious traditions (Underwood, 2002) and is a self-giving, caring, love that values the other. It is associated, but not synonymous with, related concepts such as empathy, perspective-taking, altruism, social support, volunteerism, romantic love, and familial love. Although empathy has long been viewed as a major factor in promoting prosocial behavior toward others (Davis, 1996; Dovidio & Penner, 2001) compassionate love can be considered to be a more long-lasting, pro-social, emotion directed toward others, and thus may be more likely to lead to altruistic behavior (Sprecher & Fehr, 2005). Sprecher and Fehr have defined compassionate love as: an attitude toward other(s), either close others or strangers or all ofhumanity; containing feelings, cognitions, and behaviors that are focused on caring, concern, tenderness, and orientation toward supporting, helping, and understanding the other(s), particularly when the other(s) is (are) perceived to be suffering or in need.Recently, a call has been made for more scientific study of compassionate (or altruistic) love (Post et al., 2002). In a recent set of studies, Fehr and Sprecher (2004) using a prototype analysis (Fehr, 1988) examined the key features of compassionate love reflected in laymen conceptions. Through various studies, including social cognition tasks such as reaction times to features of love, it was found that compassionate love is a complex and multifaceted concept. The features that laymen regard as most central to the concept are those that are considered to be central to love in general trust, caring, honesty. The researchers concluded that what is unique to compassionate love is the inclusion of features that depict selflessness, putting the other head of oneself, making sacrifices for the other, and so on (Fehr & Sprecher, 2004).Scientists also have recently measured compassionate love, as attitude directed toward others, in order to examine the correlates of the experience. Sprecher and Fehr developed a compassionate love scale that can be used, in different versions, to measure compassionate love forhumanity/strangers, close others (family & friends), and a specific close other. They found that people experience compassionate love to a greater degree for close others than for strangers/humanity, that scores on the compassionate love scale are correlated positively with providing social support for others and with volunteerism, and that spirituality and religiosity are associated positively with experiencing compassionate love, particularly for humanity and strangers. …

Spirituality and Compassionate Love in Nuns and Philanthropists

Compassionate Love leads to the most social good for those who are its recipients. However, self-benefits may also occur as a result of experiencing compassionate love for others. Mental health professionals and clinicians have long noted the positive benefits of giving to others or having altruistic orientation toward others. For example, according to the helper therapy principle, identified in social work research done with self-help groups (Reissman, 1965), doing something for others is fulfilling and can increase the self-esteem of the person providing the help. A small amount of research, much of it conducted with older adults and cross-sectionally, indicates that giving to others is associated with life satisfaction, happiness, and self-esteem (Caprara & Steca, 2005; Simmons, 1991). However, almost no research has examined the outcomes for the self of experiencing pro-social emotions, such as empathy, sympathy, or compassionate love. Feeling intense pro-social emotion, distinct from engaging in a helping behavior, may also result in many positive benefits to the self, including increased self-esteem, general positive mood, and closeness to the targets of one's empathy or compassion. Furthermore, when people themselves become the target of another's compassionate love or empathy, they may experience increase in self-esteem and good mood.Compassionate love, however, is more encompassing and can be experienced for family, friends, peripheral ties, and all ofhumanity (Sprecher & Fehr, 2005). Compassionate love is a central feature in many religious traditions (Underwood, 2002) and is a self-giving, caring, love that values the other. It is associated, but not synonymous with, related concepts such as empathy, perspective-taking, altruism, social support, volunteerism, romantic love, and familial love. Although empathy has long been viewed as a major factor in promoting prosocial behavior toward others (Davis, 1996; Dovidio & Penner, 2001), compassionate love can be considered to be a more long-lasting, pro-social, emotion directed toward others, and thus may be more likely to lead to altruistic behavior (Sprecher & Fehr, 2005). Sprecher and Fehr have defined compassionate love as: an attitude toward other(s), either close others or strangers or all of humanity; containing feelings, cognitions, and behaviors that are focused on caring, concern, tenderness, and orientation toward supporting, helping, and understanding the other(s), particularly when the other(s) is (are) perceived to be suffering or in need.Recently, a call has been made for more scientific study of compassionate (or altruistic) love (Post et al., 2002). In a recent set of studies, Fehr and Sprecher (2004), using a prototype analysis (Fehr, 1988), examined the key features of compassionate love reflected in laymen conceptions. Through various studies, including social cognition tasks such as reaction times to features of love, it was found that compassionate love is a complex and multifaceted concept. The features that laymen regard as most central to the concept are those that are considered to be central to love in general trust, caring, honesty. The researchers concluded that what is unique to compassionate love is the inclusion of features that depict selflessness, putting the other head of oneself, making sacrifices for the other, and so on (Fehr & Sprecher, 2004).Scientists also have recently measured compassionate love, as attitude directed toward others, in order to examine the correlates of the experience. Sprecher and Fehr developed a compassionate love scale that can be used, in different versions, to measure compassionate love for humanity/strangers, close others (family and friends), and a specific close other. They found that people experience compassionate love to a greater degree for close others than for strangers/humanity, that scores on the compassionate love scale are correlated positively with providing social support for others and with volunteerism, and that spirituality and religiosity are associated positively with experiencing compassionate love, particularly for humanity and strangers. …

Social support as a contributor to student teachers’ experienced well-being

The aim of this study is to gain better understanding of the dynamics of the social support system adopted in teacher education and its significance for the student teachers’ experienced well-being. The focus was on exploring the extent to which empowering emotional, informational or instrumental support is enabled for student teachers during their studies. Altogether, 40 student teachers were interviewed, and the data were subjected to content analysis. The results showed that the student teachers faced both empowering and burdening experiences involving social support, or lack of it. Informational support was the most frequently reported. Further, most of the informational and emotional support was appropriate and was received from both peers and teacher educators. Conversely, a lack of or inadequate support was experienced burdening. However, active efforts to develop a more supportive social environment – i.e. offering or giving social support for others – were rarely described.

Relationship between Social Support and Hope and Death Anxiety among the Old People of Tehran Omid Cultural Center

Goal of the present research is to study relationship between social support and hope and death anxiety among old people of Omid Cultural Center located in District 13 of Tehran Municipality. The statistical population included all 1000 old people of Omid Cultural Center located in District 13 of Tehran Municipality and 240 people had the minimum education of high school degree and acceptable cognitive ability to respond to the questions. The sample size was 160 persons based on Morgan Table and considering potential drop of 160 persons and the sampling method was simple random method. Data analysis was conducted with Pearson Correlation method and Multivariate Regression Analysis. Results showed that there was direct relationship between social support and hope. Among the components of social support, family and friends had significant relationship with hope while social support of others didn’t have such relationship. Among the components of social support, only family had negative significant relationship with death anxiety.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v9i2.12052 International Journal of Life Sciences 9 (2) : 2015; 65-70

Social Support, Caregiving, and Aging

This article reviews the international English-language literature on social support and caregiving in gerontology since the early 1990s. The literature has grown, but consensus on the terms' meaning and measurement is lacking. Interest is ongoing in practical help, in benefits of social support, and in demands and negative outcomes for caregivers, with growing but less emphasis on more theoretical questions, on negative outcomes from the receipt of support, and on positive consequences of providing care. Nevertheless, social support is duly recognized as a social determinant of health and receiving attention at policy levels - both are significant shifts from two decades ago and add to the interest this area will receive from researchers in coming decades. There remain many unanswered questions regarding the changing societal context, but it is clear that the social support of others - throughout our lives including old age - will continue in the future, albeit in ever-changing forms.

Further Pursuit of the Dissonant Consumer: A Comment

A clarification is offered by a marketing man as to the pursuit of the dissonant consumer.