Sources Of Social Support Research Articles

Social expenditure multiplier: Assessment of economic effect and optimal values

The main aim of the study is to test the hypothesis that social expenditures are not only a source of social support and budgeting of the social sphere, but can be a significant lever of economic development, provided proper planning of their share and volume. In this regard, the authors have adapted the open-economy multiplier to assess the economic effect of social expenditures. Based on the correlation analysis of the relationship between the share of social expenditures (% of GDP) and the multiplier of social expenditures, conducted on the example of EU countries, two groups of countries are identified depending on the impact of social expenditure multiplier on GDP: the first one embraces those countries that are characterized by a growing economic return from social expenditures; the second one is where the return is declining. To determine the optimal levels of social expenditures, which can be expected to have a positive economic effect in the form of GDP growth, we have identified critical limits of the multiplier of social expenditures according to the principle: the maximum value is seen in the group of countries with positive impact; the minimal one is experienced in countries with inverse dependence of the share of social expenditures and their multiplier. As a result, the experience of financing social expenditures in the EU leads to the conclusion that the optimal share of social expenditures in GDP ranges from 28% to 30% – within these limits multiplier values exceed 1.0, i.e. there is a positive impact of social expenditures on GDP in the form of the growth of economic results over the resources consumed.

Bullying Victims’ Perceived Social Support and Psychological Health and Prosocial Behavior: A Latent Profile Analysis

The literature on school bullying and perceived social support primarily relies on variable-centered approaches, investigating the independent effects of individual sources of social support. However, victims of school bullying perceive different combinations of levels of social support from multiple sources. Hence, there lacks a holistic person-centered examination of the joint effects of multiple sources of social support. The study surveyed 915 bullying victims (51.9% boys, 48.1% girls; Mage = 13.52, SD = 0.75). Latent profile analysis identified five profiles of social support across five sources (i.e., parents, teachers, classmates, close friends, and online-only friends): online-offline supported adolescents, offline supported adolescents, moderately supported adolescents, close friend supported adolescents, and unsupported. The five social support profiles were associated differently with bullying victims’ demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, and socioeconomic status), frequency of victimization, psychological health (i.e., subjective well-being, depression, and anxiety), and prosocial behavior. The findings support the heterogenous nature of social support perceived by bullying victims and offer insights into more tailored interventions aimed at promoting the development victims in different subgroups.

Lessons learned from efforts to prevent behavioral health problems and promote mental wellbeing in the US military

The global economic burden of mental health disorders is substantial and continues to increase. To reverse this devastating trend, solutions are needed to not only treat but to prevent the emergence of mental health conditions negatively affecting an individual's health and their social and occupational functioning. Given that military personnel and their families experience a number of factors that may serve to elevate risk for mental health problems (e.g., separation from sources of social support, job-related stress and trauma exposure, combat), the US military has instituted a number of programs to prevent mental and behavioral disorders, which may provide benefit to civilian contexts. The present paper overviews military programs that seek to build individual resilience, utilize social support and peer support programs for preventing mental health problems, and emphasize the role of early identification and treatment for preventing worsening or continued distress. We propose these programs can be adapted for and implemented into civilian settings for mental health prevention. Parallels are drawn between military and civilian settings, with proposed recommendations and considerations for adaptation discussed. Civilian communities may benefit from the lessons learned from implementation in military settings to inform their own prevention strategies.

Exploring the role of social capital in community flood resiliency in Binghamton, NY

With the progression of climate change, flooding risk in the Northeastern United States has and will continue to increase. One key element of advancing resilience is to invest in furthering a community's social capital network by investing in opportunities to strengthen the ties between individuals, groups, and government leaders. We undertook a participatory action research approach to examining social capital related to flood resilience in the flood-prone Rust-Belt city of Binghamton, NY, USA. Qualitative data collected from story circles were held in locations throughout the Binghamton community to provide vital insights into social capital's role in building resiliency in Binghamton, NY. The story circles also allowed residents experiencing flooding to process and share the experience with others and build social ties. This research analyzed transcripts from six story circles conducted in the summer of 2016 in Binghamton to understand how the social capital affected residents' recovery after the most recent floods (2006 and 2011). This study revealed a high prevalence of the following codes: Bonding among Binghamton citizens and also government responses and non-governmental and religious organizations as other critical sources of social support when faced with flooding. In addition, participants frequently displayed a shared awareness and understanding and demonstrated peer learning throughout their reflections on the floods and related experiences.

Perceived social support moderates the relations between mental health symptoms and current suicidal ideation.

Despite efforts to identify risk factors associated with suicidal ideation (SI), less work has been conducted to highlight protective factors to promote prevention. Perceived social support has been shown to positively impact a wide range of psychological outcomes; however, prior efforts exploring whether perceived social support moderates the relationship between mental health (MH) symptoms and current SI among men and women have been hampered by limitations. To address knowledge gaps, data from the Comparative Health Assessment Interview Research Study was used to evaluate whether (a) perceived social support moderates the relationship between mental health symptoms (posttraumatic stress, anxiety, alcohol use, depressive) and current SI among veterans and nonveterans; (b) the strength of this moderating effect varies by gender and veteran status; and (c) the strength of this moderating effect varies by social support source (significant other, friend, family). Results suggest that perceived social support is more protective against SI for those with lower levels of mental health symptoms (≤ 25th percentile) than for those with higher symptom levels (≥ 75th percentile). Findings were largely consistent across study groups, support sources, and mental health symptoms examined; however, a significant moderating effect on the alcohol use-SI relationship was only observed for veteran men. Those with a lower mental health symptom severity may receive more benefit from strategies aimed at increasing perceived social support compared to those with higher symptom severity. Research is needed to match protective factors to individual phenotypes, with the goal of engaging those living with SI in more effective interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The family as a source of social support for older adults: Implications for gerontological social work

Summary Results of our previous research indicated that older adults believe that there's a lack of sufficient social support from informal sources available to them in difficult situations they face. In follow-up research, we found that older adults defined limitation in their self-sufficiency in daily activities to be the most significant difficult situation for them. This paper disseminates the results of the research seeking to answer the research question: According to older adults, can family be a source of social support in a difficult situation of limitation of self-sufficiency in daily activities? Social support theory is the used theoretical basis. Using the method of qualitative content analysis we analysed 23 semi-structured interviews with older adults. Findings We found that if two conditions, that is, geographic proximity to individual family members and the quality of relationships with family members, are ensured, family can function as one of the informal sources of social support according to older adults. In case that older adults prefer a formal source of social support, they consider their family as a source of social support only in an extreme situation of limited self-sufficiency. Applications This study provides social workers with a better understanding of the difficult situations of older adults and what kind of social support older adults prefer. This study also provides an argumentation about the importance of gerontological social work.

Perceived social support among percutaneous coronary intervention patients over a long-term follow-up period.

To investigate perceived social support and the associated factors as well as the sources of social support among post-percutaneous intervention patients over a long-term follow-up period. An explanatory and descriptive survey with a six-year follow-up (STROBE Statement: Supplementary file 1). Baseline data (n = 416) were collected from Finnish patients in 2013, with follow-up data collected from the same study group in 2019 (n = 154). The research employed the Social Support of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease self-reported questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate methods. In the acute phase, higher informational support was associated with lower LDL cholesterol and female gender and higher emotional support with working status. In long-term follow-up period, physical activity, younger age, normal cholesterol levels and previous percutaneous coronary intervention predicted higher informational support, regular participation in follow-up sessions and relationship status predicted higher emotional support, and previous coronary artery bypass grafting, smoking, alcohol consumption, normal cholesterol and regular follow-ups predicted higher functional support. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Acceptability and usability of a WeChat-based intervention for depression in China: A mixed-methods study.

As research on the use of mobile technology to deliver mental health support grows, the research from China is still very limited. How to design an acceptable and usable mobile mental health service model suitable for China's social and cultural environment remains to be studied. To understand the acceptability and usability of a WeChat-based intervention among Chinese patients with depression, and to provide insights to promote future development of user-centered mobile mental health services design. The research team developed a multi-theoretical intervention that includes seven modules: recovery lessons, recovery journal, coaching sessions, mindfulness, personalized support, regular assessments and feedback collection. Forty-two patients diagnosed with depressive disorder were recruited, with a mixed sample of patients who were using an antidepressant medication (n = 29) and patients who were not using an antidepressant medication (n = 13). A single-arm mixed-methods study was conducted to understand engagement, satisfaction, usability and potential clinical effectiveness of the intervention. There was a retention rate of 83.33% - 22 participants who used an antidepressant medication and 13 participants who did not use an antidepressant medication completed the final assessments. The median (upper quartile-lower quartile) of the completed 60 recovery journals and 7 coaching sessions was 56 (59-46) and 6 (7-4) times, respectively. Participants' satisfaction regarding their recovery progress, and on perceived helpfulness on different modules were high. The overall score of the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale was 4.23 (SD 0.44, range 1-5), indicating high acceptability and usability. Qualitative feedback identified three key themes: an efficient access to professional help, a personalized source of social support, and a facilitator of cognitive and behavioral change. This study demonstrated that a WeChat-based intervention for depression was acceptable, and has the potential to promote personal recovery. More studies are needed to understand the efficacy and implementation of this model in real world.

Relationship Between Square Dancing and Meaning in Life Among Older Adults: Examining an Age-Based Moderation Model.

Square dancing may help older adults experience meaning in life (MIL). However, it remains unclear how square dancing facilitates MIL. To address this question, we examined whether participation frequency, transcendent experiences, and social support correlated positively with MIL, and whether age moderated the correlation between transcendent experiences and MIL. We studied 268 older adults using in-person surveys to collect data on age, participation frequency, transcendent experiences, social support, and MIL. We analyzed data using hierarchical regression. High frequency of participation and high levels of transcendent experiences and social support simultaneously predicted high levels of MIL, and age decreased the positive relationship between transcendent experiences and MIL. Based on the hierarchical regression results, we recommend strategies to increase older adults' MIL by providing square dancing opportunities; working with them to improve square dancing skills that facilitate transcendent experiences; and guiding them in seeking sources of social support. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 17(3), 141-147.].

Does All Social Support Work? Examining the Mechanisms of Patient-Reported Symptom Interference after Esophagectomy Affecting Life Satisfaction.

We intended to explore the chain mediation role of resilience and different sources of social support on the relationship between symptom interference and life satisfaction from the patient-reported perspective. Two hundred and twenty-six patients after esophagectomy were investigated using four validated scales to estimate the symptom interference, resilience, different sources of social support, and life satisfaction. The chain mediation analysis was conducted using SPSS PROCESS Macro Model 6. Mediation analysis showed that symptom interference indirectly influenced life satisfaction through two significant mediating pathways: (i) resilience (B = -0.138, 95% CI: -0.194 to -0.091); (ii) the chain mediators involving in resilience and family support (B = -0.049, 95% CI: -0.073 to -0.026). Surprisingly, the mediating pathway of family support was not significant. Interventions for resilience and family support could mitigate the adverse effects of symptom interference in patients after esophagectomy, improving life satisfaction. Of these, resilience may be more critical in terms of the utilization of social resources than family support.

Care Seeking Behavior and Social Support for Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: The importance of caring and meaningful relationships, as well as social connections with individuals and social institutions cannot be overlooked in addressing the sexual and reproductive health issues(SRH) of adolescents. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study to assess care seeking behaviour and social supports for adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health issues. Their ability to be able to seek and find help from formal or informal sources of social support is a protective factor for adolescent health, development and overall satisfaction in life. Materials and Methods: The study populations were in and out of schools adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19, from selected secondary schools and community in Ibadan North Local Government Area (IBNLGA) of Oyo State, Nigeria, who gave their consent voluntarily to participate in the study. Results: Findings from this research work revealed that the sources of social support available for adolescent sexual and reproductive health in this study were supports from family, friends, school teachers and religious leaders. Majority of the respondents have high perception of support for SRH issues from family, friends, school teacher and religious leader. In conclusion, adolescents in this study rely more on their family for supports than other sources because of their availability, accessibility it is necessary to offer relevant information on sexual and reproductive health of adolescents to family as social support as well as other social supports outside of professional care-giving settings, to best promote the prevention and treatment of SRH problems among Nigerian adolescents. Also, future interventions by Adolescent health care providers on sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, should integrate all of the sources of social support and media to deliver evidence based health interventions.

Emotions, social support and positive resources during Covid-19 pandemic: A qualitative-quantitative survey among italian adolescents

Covid-19 pandemic had a massive impact on adolescents. The present study illustrates an online survey administered to N = 861 Italian adolescents (mean age = 15.81 years; females 58%), asking them about: (i) the most frequent negative emotions during the pandemic; (ii) the main sources of social support; (iii) whether they had also experienced positive emotions; (iv) in which lifedomains they had experienced positive emotions. The results reveal that adolescents experienced boredom, sadness, fear, and agitation as negative emotions. The respondents reported family, friends and themselves as sources of social support. The main life-domains in which adolescents experienced positive emotions were: new discoveries in self-awareness, inner growth, relational skills. This study highlights that the pandemic has elicited positive resources (e.g., resilience, creativity and generativity) in adolescents, laying the foundations for interventions, in developmental and educational psychology, that are not top-down but bottom-up.

Understanding the Role of Social Support in the Adherence to the Hypertension Continuum of Care in Cambodia

Introduction: Hypertension (HTN) is a major public health problem and a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and deaths globally. A continuum of HTN care is necessary for people living with HTN since this chronic disease requires comprehensive life-long healthcare management. Several studies have examined the factors influencing the adherence to HTN care. Socio-demographic and economic characteristics are commonly studied as influencing factors of each step of the cascade of HTN care, yet little is known about the effect of social support on the cascade of HTN care. Therefore, our study aims to assess the role of social support on the cascade of HTN care in Cambodia.
 Method: We performed a population-based survey (5070 individuals aged over 40 and over) to generate a cascade of care for HTN and assess the levels of social support in Cambodia. The cascade shows the patients’ flow in the health system and where they are lost (dropped) along all steps of the cascade from (i) prevalence, (ii) screening, (iii) diagnosis, (iv) treatment in the last 12 months, (v) treatment in the last 3 months, (vi) to being under control. Social support was assessed using the 8-item Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the effect of social support (from a family member) on each step of the cascade.
 Results: Among people living with HTN, 22.4%, 27.0%, 21.6% and 28.9% reported receiving low, medium, high and very high levels of social support respectively. Higher levels of social support were found in female adults, married adults, adults aged over 60, as well as those living in a household of 4 to 5 members and those receiving some or having completed primary education. Participants who received medium and very high levels of social support had two times the odds of receiving treatment for HTN as participants with low levels of support both in the last 12 months and the last 3 months. While, participants who had high level of social support had five times the odds of receiving treatment for HTN (both in the last 12 and 3 months) as participants with low levels of social support. 
 Conclusion: Social support from a family member is strongly associated with treatment compliance in the HTN cascade of care in Cambodia. Our findings suggest an exploration of using social support as a tool to promote adherence to treatment programs for HTN care.
 Implication for applicability/transferability 
 Families are a potential source of social support for hypertensive patients to overcome social barriers and execute disease management tasks especially for treatment compliance. Promoting social support through a social intervention could be a viable path to improve care for hypertensive patients since chronic illness care poses challenges for isolated patients, but could be made easier with the assistance from family.

Self-Management Social Support in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Concept Analysis

Aims. The aim of this concept analysis was to clarify the conceptual characteristics, antecedents, consequences, definition, and proper use of self-management social support in the context of type 2 diabetes. Background. Self-management social support has been found to be positively correlated with improved patient outcomes and a reduced occurrence of type 2 diabetes complications. In the context of type 2 diabetes, there is no uniform definition of the concept of self-management social support. In addition, the attributes of the concept and the antecedents, as well as the outcome consequences, should be identified. Design. A concept analysis. Methods. Walker and Avant’s (2019) framework for concept analysis. Results. Self-management social support could be defined as the presence of a supportive social network that exhibits supportive reinforcing behaviors that could facilitate positive behavioral change and promote disease self-management that leads to improved biobehavioral and psychosocial outcomes for patients. Conclusions. The findings suggest that self-management social support promotes self-efficacy, self-competence, and self-confidence in the self-management of type 2 diabetes. Patient characteristics, attributes of social support sources, patient-caregiver relationships, and disease severity should be taken into consideration when studying the relationship between social support and patients’ outcomes. Effective social support will lead to improvements in the biological, psychological, and social well-being of type 2 diabetes patients. Self-management social support should be preceded by the formulation of a supportive network that provides patients with active reinforcement. Implications. Self-management social support can promote self-efficacy, self-competence, and self-confidence in the self-management of type 2 diabetes and thereby improve health outcomes among type 2 diabetes patients.

INFORMAL SUPPORT NETWORKS AND LONELINESS IN OLDER WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV

Abstract Older adults with HIV are at increased risk for social isolation and poor well-being. Although older women living with HIV (WLWH) are more likely to be embedded in supportive networks than men, they often report inadequate support in meeting their needs. The function of older WLWH’s informal networks, their effectiveness in meeting care needs, and links to well-being are major gaps in the literature. Using a subsample of heterosexual WLWH from The Research on Older Adults with HIV 2.0 Study aged 50 to 77 (Mage = 59; n = 210), we assessed sources of social support, interpersonal strain, and support adequacy, in relation to loneliness. About half the sample reported having ever (i.e., currently or in the past) needed regular assistance due to HIV or other illness, disability, or frailty whereas the rest reported never needed regular assistance. Preliminary regression analyses controlled for age, race, ADLs, partnership, and formal care status. Findings revealed that neither support from family or from friends was associated with loneliness. However, strain from both sources was significantly associated with greater loneliness. In terms of support adequacy, having someone to count on for emotional support was associated with lower loneliness, and needing more emotional support was associated with greater loneliness. Instrumental support (i.e., help with tasks was not significantly associated with loneliness. These findings highlight the importance of considering positive and negative social relations, as well as different dimensions and sources of support. Interventions to improve emotional support resources could help mitigate loneliness among older WLWH.

SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITH COMORBIDITIES

Abstract Psychological distress is common and problematic for older adults with comorbidities. Social media has great potential to help older adults engage in meaningful social activities and relationships that might improve mental health. However, little information exists about the actual use and the beneficial effects of the use of social media on mental health among this particular population. Using data from the 2019-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), we aimed to describe the prevalence of social media use, and whether social media use is related to better self-care confidence and thus related to better mental health among U.S. older adults with comorbidities. Data were analyzed using weighted logistic models and mediation analyses that considered the complex survey design with jackknife replications. Variables were assessed by self-reports. The prevalence of social media use increased rapidly from 41% in 2017 to 54% in 2020 among U.S. older adults with comorbidities. Those who were of younger age, women, higher education, or higher income were more likely to use social media, whereas those who were Hispanic or Black were less likely to use social media. Social media use was related to better self-care confidence (b=0.17, 95% CI=0.07-0.26, P< 0.001) and is further related to better mental health (b=1.07, 95% CI=0.86-1.28, P< 0.001). Our results suggest that social media is a beneficial supplement to traditional sources of social support for mental health. However, more attention is needed to those who are not only affected by commodities but also socially disadvantaged (e.g., Hispanic or Black with lower education).

Digital Leisure among Older Adults: Connections to Social Support, Flow, and Social Inclusion

Although digital leisure may help older adults experience social support, flow, and social inclusion, it is unknown if flow mediates the relationship between social support and social inclusion in later life. To address this question, we examined data from 325 older adults who completed in-person surveys measuring social support, flow, and social inclusion associated with digital leisure. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze data. SEM results showed that social support correlated positively with flow; flow correlated positively with social inclusion; and social support correlated positively with social inclusion. The correlation between social support and social inclusion was partially mediated by flow. We identify implications of these results in terms of promoting social inclusion for older adults by: (a) supporting them in seeking sources of social support through digital leisure, and (b) helping them achieve a balance between high level skills and challenges to experience flow during digital leisure.

Subjective Well-Being in Cancer Patients: The Roles of Social Support, Purpose in Life, Resilience, and Informativeness.

The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive and negative experiences, and prosperity) and various psychosocial factors (social support received from family members and partners, purpose in life, resilience and information) in cancer patients and to examine the possibility of predicting components of subjective well-being based on these mentioned factors in cancer patients. A total of 338 adult cancer patients from Croatia participated in the study (41.1% male and 58.9% female). To measure the constructs, the Diener Subjective Well-Being Scale, the Social Support Scale at work and in the family, the Purpose in Life Scale, the Short Resilience Scale, and the EORTC-QLQ information questionnaire were used. Results showed a high level of life satisfaction and prosperity, as well as more frequent positive compared to negative experiences. A medium to high level of social support received from family members and from the partner was determined. High levels of purpose in life and medium levels of resilience and information were found. A high correlation was found among the components of the construct of subjective well-being, and a low to medium correlation among the predictors. Positive associations were found between the criteria of life satisfaction and prosperity with psychosocial factors. Negative associations were established between the positive/negative experience variables and the factors. Furthermore, the purpose in life was determined as an important predictor of all three components of subjective well-being, social support (both sources) as important for predicting life satisfaction, resilience for experiencing positive and negative experiences, and social family support for predicting the prosperity of cancer patients.

Migration and the Value of Social Networks

Abstract How do social networks influence the decision to migrate? Prior work suggests two distinct mechanisms that have historically been difficult to differentiate: as a conduit of information, and as a source of social and economic support. We disentangle these mechanisms using a massive “digital trace” dataset that allows us to observe the migration decisions made by millions of individuals over several years, as well as the complete social network of each person in the months before and after migration. These data allow us to establish a new set of stylized facts about the relationship between social networks and migration. Our main analysis indicates that the average migrant derives more social capital from “interconnected” networks that provide social support than from “extensive” networks that efficiently transmit information.

Experiences of social support by participants with morbid obesity who participate in a rehabilitation program for health-behavior change: a qualitative study

BackgroundObesity is a global public health concern with significant implications for individuals’ physical health and overall well-being. Health-behavior change programs are crucial for addressing obesity and its associated health risks. Social support plays a central role in facilitating successful outcomes in these programs, yet limited qualitative research exists on the experiences of individuals with morbid obesity participating in such interventions. Thus, this study explores how participants with morbid obesity experienced social support in a group-based rehabilitation program for health-behavior change.MethodsFourteen participants in a group-based rehabilitation health-behavior change program in Norway were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed with thematic analysis.ResultsThe thematic analysis revealed three primary sources of social support: support from other participants in the group, social support from family and friends, and support from the interdisciplinary team. The participants emphasized the significance of ongoing social support throughout their health-behavior change program. Participants appreciated fostering a sense of community and regular interaction with other members of the program to ensure ongoing social support.ConclusionsParticipants outlined the importance of maintaining a sense of community in the group and appreciated platforms for facilitating ongoing interactions and support among group participants. Future studies should focus on long-term interventions, tailored approaches for individuals with diverse needs involving family and friends, and the impact of enhanced peer support. By understanding the role of social support in health-behavior change programs, interventions can be optimized to better support individuals with morbid obesity.