Associations between received social support and positive and negative affect: evidence for age differences from a daily-diary study

Impact of community well-being on individual well-being: A longitudinal multinational study with 155 countries

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the longitudinal relationship between subjective community well-being (CWB) (perception of freedom of choice and social support) and subjective individual well-being (IWB) (positive and negative affect). Using the World Happiness Report (2019), this study examined the subjective IWB and subjective CWB among 155 countries across an 8-year period. Using Latent Class Growth Analysis the results indicated that the 155 countries could be classified into three groups-countries reporting high freedom of choice and high social support, low freedom of choice and low social support, and low freedom of choice and high social support. From the results of both a multigroup Growth Mixed Model and a Growth Curve Model, the three groups were found to vary with respect to positive and negative affect with higher positive affect and lower negative affect reported in countries classified as high freedom of choice and high social support, lower positive affect and higher negative affect reported in countries classified as low freedom of choice and low social support, and lower positive and lower negative affect reported in countries classified as low freedom of choice and high social support. These results indicate that country's rated as allowing higher freedom of choice was associated with higher reported positive affect, and country's rated as having stronger social support systems was associated with lower ratings for negative affect.

Affective well-being of Chinese urban postpartum women: predictive effect of spousal support and maternal role adaptation

Due to shortage of childcare facilities while high social expectations for mothering, becoming a mother is a big life challenge for most women in urban China. The understandings on Chinese postpartum women's affective well-being and its relation with spousal support and maternal role adaptation remain limited. This study aims to investigate the affective well-being (including both positive and negative affect) of Chinese urban postpartum women and how it is associated with spousal support and maternal role adaptation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Shanghai, China, between June and July 2019. A total of 498 urban mothers whose babies were 0 to 1 year old participated in this survey. They completed the Postpartum Social Support Questionnaire (PSSQ), the Maternal Role Adaptation Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and reported socio-demographic information. Results showed that positive and negative affect of postpartum women were not significantly associated with each other. Positive affect had a positive correlation with spousal support and maternal role adaptation. Negative affect was negatively associated with maternal role adaptation, while not significantly associated with spousal support. Maternal role adaptation partially mediated the relationship between spousal support and positive affect of the participants, controlling for age, household income, education, birth order, and inter-generational support. The findings indicate that intervention programs towards mental health of postpartum women should focus more on positive affect cultivation; moreover, clinical services should help postpartum women to adapt to maternal role by encouraging new fathers' or partners' involvement in daily childcare-giving.

Coping with COVID Stress: Maladaptive and Adaptive Response Styles Predicting College Student Internalizing Symptom Dimensions

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted daily life for undergraduates and introduced new stressors (e.g., campus closures). How individuals respond to stressors can interact with stress to increase disorder risk in both unique and transdiagnostic ways. The current study examined how maladaptive and adaptive stress response styles moderated the perceived severity of COVID-related stressors effect on general and specific internalizing dimensions at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in a combined undergraduate sample across two universities (N = 451) using latent bifactor modeling and LASSO modeling to identify optimal predictors. Results showed that perceived stress severity and maladaptive response styles (not adaptive response styles or interactions between stress and response styles) were associated with both common and specific internalizing dimensions. Results suggest additive associations of stress severity and maladaptive coping with internalizing symptoms during the pandemic’s beginning, and provide important insights for screening, prevention, and intervention during future public health crises.

Religiosity, Emotions and Health: The Role of Trust/Mistrust in God in People Affected by Cancer

Trust in God implies the conviction that God looks after a person’s own interests. The first evidence of a relationship between this construct and people’s psychological and emotional health dates back several centuries. However, the literature on this is limited, especially for people with physical health conditions, such as cancer. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to test the relationships between trust/mistrust in God, social support and emotions in people affected by cancer. The sample consisted of 177 women and men in Spain diagnosed with cancer. The instruments used were the Trust/Mistrust in God Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were performed to compare several explanatory models for the dependent variables: positive and negative emotions. The results show significant relationships between all variables. It was observed that, when trust/mistrust in God is included in the model, only mistrust in God predicts both types of emotions. In addition, both social support and some sociodemographic variables help to predict the dependent variables. This study shows that valuing the religiosity and spirituality of oncology patients in healthcare settings can have a significant positive impact on the health of these individuals. Moreover, it represents an important approach to the study of trust/mistrust in God in the context of a traditionally Catholic country.

Teachers' perceived time pressure, emotional exhaustion and the role of social support from the school principal

Many teachers experience high levels of work-related strain due to time pressure, which over time can lead to various health problems, such as emotional exhaustion. However, there is growing evidence that this could be a reciprocal effect. Moreover, it is known that perceived social support can buffer the negative effects of stress, such as time pressure, on health outcomes. Less is known about buffering effects of received social support. Based on longitudinal data of n = 1071 Swiss primary and secondary school teachers over the course of one school year, the present study examined the reciprocal relationship between teachers’ perceived time pressure and emotional exhaustion and whether received social support from the school principal buffers this relationship. Results of a random intercept cross-lagged panel model show a strong relationship between teachers’ perceived time pressure and emotional exhaustion at the between-person level, but no effects at the within-person level. Further, received social support was directly related to less perceived time pressure and less emotional exhaustion. The results showed neither evidence for reciprocal effects between perceived time pressure and emotional exhaustion nor for a buffering effect of received social support from the school principal. Concluding, present findings indicate that the receipt of social support from the school principal is a central job resource that beneficially relates to teachers’ experience of time pressure and emotional exhaustion.

Characterisation of social support following incarceration among black sexual minority men and transgender women in the HPTN 061 cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To examine longitudinal associations between recent incarceration and subsequent social support among black sexual minority men and transgender women, and whether associations differed between those who did and did not have support prior to incarceration.

DESIGN

A secondary analysis in 2020 of data from the HIV Prevention Trials Network 061, a cohort study of black sexual minority men and transgender women recruited in 2009-2010 and followed for 12 months.

SETTING

Six US cities (Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Washington DC).

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals ≥18 years of age who identified as black, reported being male or assigned male at birth, reported ≥1 unprotected anal intercourse event with a male partner in the past 6 months, and reported on incarceration at the 6-month follow-up visit.

EXPOSURE

Having spent ≥1 night in jail/prison in the past 6 months reported at the 6-month follow-up visit.

OUTCOME

Social support measured using a six-item scale assessing frequency of emotional/informational, affectionate and tangible support (range 6-30); and dichotomous indicators of low support for each item (ie, receiving that form of support none/little of the time).

RESULTS

Among participants who returned for the 6-month visit (N=1169), 14% had experienced incarceration in the past 6 months. Mean support score was 20.9; 18.9 among those with recent incarceration versus 21.2 among those without. Recent incarceration predicted lower support (adjusted β -2.40, 95% CI -3.94 to -0.85). Those recently incarcerated had increased risk of lacking emotional/informational (eg, no one to talk to adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.55, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.13) and affectionate (aRR 1.51, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.04) but not tangible support. Effects appeared somewhat stronger among those who had support at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Incarceration may reduce support on re-entry among black sexual minority men and transgender women, populations unequally targeted for incarceration and at risk for low support.

Relationship Dynamics among Couples Dealing with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review

Most studies have been concerned with the experiences and needs of women with breast cancer and spouses/partners separately. In this review, the relationship dynamics that characterize the couple’s experience of breast cancer treatment were investigated. Findings will inform both researchers and professionals in the area of oncology. A systematic literature search was performed in CINAHL, PsychINFO, MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science. A checklist for qualitative and observational studies was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. Seventeen studies were included, and the synthesis of the literature revealed five domains that characterized the dyadic process: dyadic coping strategies, psychosocial support, communication, the couple’s sexual life and spirituality. The included studies provide the basis for knowledge and awareness about the experience of couples with cancer, the specific dimensions enacted during the breast cancer treatment path and the type of responses that are associated with a positive couple’s adjustment to the disease.

Factors Influencing Received Social Support Among Emerging Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

The majority of research among individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) focuses on perceived social support. A gap exists regarding the role of received social support in self-management enhancement. The purpose of this study was to examine specific contextual factors (individual, condition-specific, and emerging adulthood factors) that influence received social support (total, informational, emotional, and tangible) among emerging adults (ages 18-29 years) with IBD. A convenience sample of 61 emerging adults with a diagnosis of IBD was obtained. An association was found between high total received social support and several individual factors such as being closer to the younger end of the age range (ages 18-29 years), married, and fully employed. When controlling for time since diagnosis and symptom interference, high tangible received social support was associated with the use of immunomodulator and biological medications. Emerging adulthood factors were not associated with total or any types of received social support. Future research could examine differences between types of social support and self-management behaviors. These findings contribute a new direction for intervention development with a focus on individual and condition-specific factors to enhance received social support and ultimately health outcomes for individuals with IBD.

Age-Related Alterations in Endocrine Markers Do Not Match Changes in Psychosocial Measures: Findings From the Men's Health 40+ Longitudinal Study

While life expectancy continues to increase, aging can bring several distinct endocrine and psychosocial changes. The study aimed to investigate the interplay between biopsychosocial factors of healthy aging in specifically healthy aging men. Ninety-seven healthy aging men were investigated at two time points spanning 4 years. Participants completed questionnaires measuring several psychosocial dimensions and gave saliva samples for hormone quantification during a laboratory appointment. The study applied a random intercept mixed-model approach. Age-related changes were found in most endocrine markers (cortisol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, and progesterone), except for estradiol. Psychosocial measures remained stable, except for increased social support. Further, changes in endocrine and psychosocial measures were independent of each other. The results suggest that in healthy aging men, age-related endocrine changes occur, but do not necessarily determine a change in psychosocial measures. Potentially, preventive interventions can be derived from these results.

The buffering effect of social support on the relationship between discrimination and psychological distress among church-going African-American adults

Discrimination is a pervasive stressor among African-American adults. Social support is an important protective factor for psychological distress, especially among minority populations. Although a number of studies have examined social support in relation to discrimination, little research has examined how social support may serve as an important protective factor against both physical and psychological symptoms related to overall psychological distress within this group. The current study examined social support as a moderator of the relationship between discrimination and overall psychological distress as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory among a community sample of 122 African-American church-going adults. Results indicated that social support buffered the associations of discrimination and overall psychological distress (p < 0.0001) in expected directions. Findings highlight the importance of cultivating strong social relationships to attenuate the effects of this social determinant on mental health disparities among this group.

Social support and post-traumatic growth among a sample of arthritis patients: Analysis in light of conservation of resources theory

The study examined the association between social support dimensions and post-traumatic growth (PTG) among a sample of arthritis patients. In particular, we wanted to verify the mediating role of resources, as described by the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, on the aforementioned relationship. A total of 207 patients with a clinical diagnosis of arthritis were recruited to participate in the study, including 149 females and 58 males. This was a cross-sectional study, with PTG evaluated by the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and social support assessed via the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS). To assess the level of subjectively possessed resources among participants, we used the COR evaluation questionnaire (COR-E). Provided support, but not received support, was positively related to the level of PTG among participants. In addition, the level of spiritual resources mediated the aforementioned relationship. The results of this contribute to the literature on the psychological aspects of arthritis. It seems that providing support may be related to positive consequences among arthritis patients, in the form of PTG, with spiritual resources being of significant value in this process.

Adaptation and validation of the Instrumental Expressive Social Support Scale in Portuguese older individuals

Objective to adapt and validate the Instrumental Expressive Social Support Scale (IESS) in a sample of older people. Method methodological study. The sample of 964 community-dwelling older people was randomly divided into two groups. The first group was used as a calibration sample to study the number of factors underlying social support through Principal Axis Factoring, and the second group as a validation sample to test the “best fit” model through Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Results exploratory Factor Analysis suggested a three-factor solution, which was confirmed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The factors were similar to those in the pre-existing dimensions of the original instrument and were named as Sense of control (α = 0.900), Financial support (α = 0.802), Familiar and socio-affective support (α = 0.778). Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed acceptable fit. The model’s goodness-of-fit indexes were satisfactory (χ2/df = 5.418; CFI = 0.903; NFI = 0.884; RMSEA = 0.098). The convergent validity was supported by associations between social support and medication adherence and positive affect. The discriminant validity was evidenced by association with negative affect. The reliability analysis showed high values of internal consistency. Conclusion the instrument proved to be a valid measure for the assessment of social support in older people.

Examining Relationships between Social Capital, Emotion Experience and Life Satisfaction for Sustainable Community

As an important component of urban construction, the community sustainable construction is of great significance to the social development. Despite the importance of the social dimension of community sustainability, it has received relatively little attention when compared to the sustainability of environmental and economic dimensions. Based on the literature review, it is found that the social dimension of the sustainable community, such as residents’ psychological feelings, social capital, has a strong effect on the sustainability of communities. This paper, therefore, conducts an empirical study on the mediating role of emotion experience on the associations between social capital and life satisfaction. Research on the relationship between them can help to generate synergies and strengthen the effect of promoting community sustainable development. A total of 229 complete responses from residents in China is used for data analysis. Results from the multiple linear regression analysis indicate that social capital has the significant positive effect on life satisfaction; the influence of social capital on life satisfaction is partly mediated by positive and negative affect, the social capital improves the life satisfaction through promoting positive affect, while it enhances the life satisfaction through restraining the negative affect. Based on the relationship between them, the relevant recommendations for the measures on the sustainable community can be proposed.

Paradoxical effect of social support among people living with HIV: A diary study investigating the buffering hypothesis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the buffering role of time-varying received and provided support in the relationship between stress and end-of-day mood among people living with HIV. In addition, the moderating role of intimate relationships in this buffering effect was verified.

METHODS

The participants included 115 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of HIV infection. The data were collected using an online diary method. For five consecutive days (from Monday to Friday), participants completed an online time-stamped questionnaire in the evening to assess their end-of day-mood, stress related to a central hassle on any given day and social support that was received and provided.

RESULTS

The results of the multilevel analysis showed that daily provided, but not received, support had the following partial buffering effect: the association between negative affect and stress was weaker on days with higher support provision. However, this effect was limited to those participants who were in an intimate relationship; the opposite effect was observed in single participants.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the buffering effect of daily support may be modified by other social resources, such as being in an intimate relationship, and when they are not available, it can even become detrimental.

A Daily Diary Investigation of the Influence of Early Family Adversity on Social Functioning during the Transition to Adulthood

Early life stressors are associated with maladaptive social functioning in childhood and adolescence, but it is unclear whether and how the negative interpersonal effects of stress persist into adulthood. Daily diary surveys were used to examine young adults' social behavior and mood reactivity to social stressors as a function of experiences of early family adversity. Stressful early family environments predicted more daily reassurance seeking, but not aggression, withdrawal, or positive social behavior. Early family adversity also moderated the within-person effects of social stressors on next-day mood, such that individuals with high levels of adversity had elevated next-day negative affect in response to higher than average social stress. Findings highlight the enduring impact of early adversity on social development, with implications for developing targeted policies and interventions.

Coping With Daily Hindrance and Challenge Stressors in the Workplace

Abstract. This study examined daily hindrance and challenge stressors at work (rated after work) for effects on employees’ state negative affect at the beginning of the next workday. Building on the transactional stress model, the authors also examine whether general coping styles impact the relationships. Multilevel analyses show that previous-day hindrance stressors are positively related to next-day state negative affect, whereas previous-day challenge stressors are not significantly related to next-day state negative affect. The study identifies differential effects of problem-focused versus emotion-focused coping styles: High use of emotion-focused coping style increases state negative affect for both challenge and hindrance stressors; a lack of problem-focused coping style strengthens challenge stressors’ positive effect on state negative affect. The results suggest that occupational health can be promoted through specific stress management training and through workplace designs that reduce hindrance stressors.

Benefit Finding in Cardiac Patients: Relationships with Emotional Well-Being and Resources after Controlling for Physical Functional Impairment

Benefit finding (BF) is defined as the individual's perception of positive change as a result of coping with an adverse life event. The beneficial effects of BF on well-being could be because BF favors the improvement of resources like self-efficacy, social support and effective coping. The main objective of this longitudinal 8 week study was to explore, in a sample of cardiac patients (n = 51), the combined contribution of BF and these resources to the positive affect. Moreover, we wanted to check whether these resources were derived from BF or, on the contrary, these resources were antecedents of BF. Results showed that after controlling for functional capacity, only effective coping could predict the positive affect at Time 1 (β = .32, p < .05), while the BF predicted it at Time 2 (β = .23, p < .001). Only social support predicted BF (β = .26, p < .05), but not the opposite. We discussed the desirability of promoting these processes to improve the emotional state of cardiac patients.

Social Support, Emotional Intelligence, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Abstract. Exposure to traumatic events and the associated risk of developing Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms is a significant and overlooked concern in the college population. It is important for current research to identify potential protective factors associated with the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms unique to this population. Emotional intelligence and perceived social support are two identified protective factors that influence the association between exposure to traumatic events and PTSD symptomology. The current study examined the mediating role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. Participants included 443 trauma-exposed university students who completed online questionnaires. The results of this study indicated that social support mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and reported PTSD symptoms. Thus, emotional intelligence is significantly associated with PTSD symptoms and social support may play an integral role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD. The current study is the first to investigate the role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. These findings have important treatment and prevention implications with regard to PTSD.

Prosocial Behavior Mitigates the Negative Effects of Stress in Everyday Life

Recent theories of stress reactivity posit that, when stressed, individuals tend to seek out opportunities to affiliate with and nurture others in order to prevent or mitigate the negative effects of stress. However, few studies have tested empirically the role of prosocial behavior in reducing negative emotional responses to stress. The current analyses used daily diary data to investigate whether engaging in prosocial behavior buffered the negative effects of naturally-occurring stressors on emotional well-being. Results showed that on a given day, prosocial behavior moderated the effects of stress on positive affect, negative affect, and overall mental health. Findings suggest that affiliative behavior may be an important component of coping with stress, and indicate that engaging in prosocial behavior might be an effective strategy for reducing the impact of stress on emotional functioning.

Inner resources for survival: integrating interpersonal psychotherapy with spiritual visualization with homeless youth

Homeless youth have particular need to develop inner resources to confront the stress, abusive environment of street life, and the paucity of external resources. Research suggests that treatment supporting spiritual awareness and growth may create a foundation for coping, relationships, and negotiating styles to mitigate distress. The current pilot study tests the feasibility, acceptability, and helpfulness of an interpersonal spiritual group psychotherapy, interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) integrated with spiritual visualization (SV), offered through a homeless shelter, toward improving interpersonal coping and ameliorating symptoms of depression, distress, and anxiety in homeless youth. An exploratory pilot of integrative group psychotherapy (IPT + SV) for homeless young adults was conducted in a New York City on the residential floor of a shelter-based transitional living program. Thirteen young adult men (mean age 20.3 years, SD = 1.06) participated in a weekly evening psychotherapy group (55 % African-American, 18 % biracial, 18 % Hispanic, 9 % Caucasian). Measures of psychological functioning were assessed at pre-intervention and post-intervention using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, GAD-7), and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32). A semi-structured exit interview and a treatment satisfaction questionnaire were also employed to assess acceptability following treatment. Among homeless young adults to participate in the group treatment, significant decreases in symptoms of general distress and depression were found between baseline and termination of treatment, and at the level of a trend, improvement in overall interpersonal functioning and levels of general anxiety. High utilization and treatment satisfaction showed the intervention to be both feasible and acceptable. Offered as an adjunct to the services-as-usual model at homeless shelters serving young adults, interpersonal psychotherapy with spiritual visualization (IPT + SV) in group appears to be a feasible and potentially useful treatment option for promoting improved mental health.

Age differences in prospective memory for everyday life intentions: A diary approach

The age benefit found in many naturalistic prospective memory (PM) tasks has been taken as evidence that PM performance in real life may be spared from aging. However, this conclusion lacks empirical confirmation. Hence, the aim of the present study was to examine possible age differences in the content of everyday PM intentions and their performance. Everyday PM was assessed in young and older adults using a diary approach. Results confirmed a general age benefit for real-life PM tasks. Importantly, this finding was qualified by revealing that the benefit only held true for specific types of intentions such as health and social intentions. Further, moderation analyses showed that the relationships between cognitive functioning and everyday PM were different for young and older adults. While better inhibition, short-term and long-term memory were related with successful PM performance in the young, this was not the case in the older adults. The present findings suggest that the age benefit found in naturalistic experimenter-given tasks extends to real-life PM performance, but may differ depending on the type of intention. Furthermore, cognitive functioning predicts performance in the young, but not in the older adults.

Mental health status among Burmese adolescent students living in boarding houses in Thailand: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

In Tak province of Thailand, a number of adolescent students who migrated from Burma have resided in the boarding houses of migrant schools. This study investigated mental health status and its relationship with perceived social support among such students.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study surveyed 428 students, aged 12-18 years, who lived in boarding houses. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL)-37 A, Stressful Life Events (SLE) and Reactions of Adolescents to Traumatic Stress (RATS) questionnaires were used to assess participants' mental health status and experience of traumatic events. The Medical Outcome Study (MOS) Social Support Survey Scale was used to measure their perceived level of social support. Descriptive analysis was conducted to examine the distribution of sociodemographic characteristics, trauma experiences, and mental health status. Further, multivariate linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between such characteristics and participants' mental health status.

RESULTS

In total, 771 students were invited to participate in the study and 428 students chose to take part. Of these students, 304 completed the questionnaire. A large proportion (62.8%) indicated that both of their parents lived in Myanmar, while only 11.8% answered that both of their parents lived in Thailand. The mean total number of traumatic events experienced was 5.7 (standard deviation [SD] 2.9), mean total score on the HSCL-37A was 63.1 (SD 11.4), and mean total score on the RATS was 41.4 (SD 9.9). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that higher number of traumatic events was associated with more mental health problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Many students residing in boarding houses suffered from poor mental health in Thailand's Tak province. The number of traumatic experiences reported was higher than expected. Furthermore, these traumatic experiences were associated with poorer mental health status. Rather than making a generalized assumption on the mental health status of migrants or refugees, more detailed observation is necessary to elucidate the unique nature and vulnerabilities of this mobile population.