SOCIAL SUPPORT AND STRESS AMONG HOMELESS ADULTS IN SOUTHERN POLAND

The present study investigated the main and stress‐buffering effects of social support in a representative sample of homeless adults (N = 200) obtained in a 2‐city region of southern Poland. Two different measures of social support were used: the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) and the Social Network Interview (SNI). The findings support research in the United States and other nations, showing that (a) higher levels of reported stressful life events predicted all three outcomes assessed (i.e., symptoms of psychological distress, alcohol abuse and dependence, and physical health), (b) higher scores on ISEL perceived support and the SNI Family Index were associated with fewer symptoms on one or more of the outcomes, and (c) social support may be an important buffer protecting people from the negative impact of stress, even among a high‐risk group such as homeless adults. Implications for future research, policy, and intervention are discussed.     

Social support,psychiatric symptoms,and housing: A causal analysis

This study used structural equation modeling to examine the causal relationship between social support and each of three outcome variables: depression, psychotic symptoms, and stable housing. Two measures of social support were included in the models: natural support (family and friends) and professional support. Nearly 4,000 individuals from 18 cities in the United States provided data for this study. All participants were homeless at baseline and suffered from severe mental illness. Data were collected at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year. A reciprocal effects model best explained the causal relationship between social support and psychiatric symptoms. The social causation model best explained the relationship between social support and stable housing, such that increases in social support led to increases in stable housing. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

PREDICTORS OF THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INTEGRATION OF HOMELESS ADULTS WITH PROBLEMATIC SUBSTANCE USE

This study examined predictors of physical and psychological integration in homeless adults with problematic substance use. Homeless adults with problematic substance use (n = 115) in Ottawa, Canada, completed questionnaires regarding their demographics (age, gender, Aboriginal ethnicity), health and social functioning (physical health, mental health, alcohol use problems, drug use problems, social skills), environmental factors (satisfaction with personal safety, social support), physical integration, and psychological integration. Participants reported low physical integration (i.e., participation in activities in the community) and did not feel strongly psychologically integrated (i.e., sense of belonging). The final models accounted for 36% and 19% of the variance in physical and psychological integration, respectively. Higher levels of social skills and social support were associated with greater physical integration. Higher levels of mental health functioning and satisfaction with safety were related to greater psychological integration. Implications of the findings for community support services are discussed.     

Predictors of homelessness among older adults in New York city: disability, economic, human and social capital and stressful events

We interviewed 61 housed and 79 homeless adults aged 55 and over about disability; economic, human and social capital; and stressful life events prior to becoming homeless. Over half of the homeless group had previously led conventional lives. Human capital, social capital and life events were more important than disability or economic capital in predicting homelessness. The homeless adults were younger, more likely to be male and better educated than housed adults, but had shorter job tenure and fewer social ties. Homeless adults faced multiple, cascading risks, including job loss and housing loss. Implications for prevention are discussed.     

Influence of social participation on life satisfaction and depression among Chinese elderly: Social support as a mediator

This study explored the influences of social participation and the mediating effects of social support on the mental health of Chinese elderly based on data from the 2012 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS). The participants comprised 696 older adults in CLASS, including 340 (48.9%) male and 354 (50.9%) female. The mean age of the sample was 68 (standard deviation = 7.08). The results of structural equation modeling showed that social participation was significantly associated with the life satisfaction and depression of the elderly. A high level of social participation was associated with more social support and consequently predicted few depressive symptoms among older adults. However, social support was not significantly associated with life satisfaction of the elderly. Our findings provided cross‐cultural evidence for theories, and had significant implications for social work practice and social policy.     

SOCIAL ROLE VALORIZATION IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH HOUSING: DOES IT CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND LIFE SATISFACTION OF PEOPLE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES?

Despite its importance as a theory in the development of programs for populations with disabilities, social role valorization (SRV) has received relatively little attention in community mental health research. We present findings of a study that examined the relationship of housing‐related SRV to community integration and global life satisfaction of persons with psychiatric disabilities. The housing environments and associated supports of a group of 73 persons with psychiatric disabilities living in a mid‐sized city were assessed using the PASSING rating system on the extent that their housing environments facilitated SRV. In addition, in‐person interviews were conducted to determine the levels of physical integration, psychological integration, social integration, and life satisfaction of study participants. Results showed SRV contributing directly to all three types of community integration. Psychological integration was found to mediate the relationship between SRV and life satisfaction. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Psychological community integration among people with psychiatric disabilities and nondisabled community members

This study examined individual and neighborhood predictors of the psychological community integration of people with psychiatric disabilities and nondisabled community members. One hundred twenty‐three adults (60 psychiatrically disabled, 63 general community residents), completed measures of sense of community, life satisfaction, psychiatric symptoms, and perceptions of neighborhood. Mental health consumers living in independent scatter‐site apartments did not differ from other community members in either sense of community or life satisfaction. Among mental health consumers, neither symptoms nor demographic variables predicted sense of community, whereas objective neighborhood characteristics did. Conversely, among community members, age and symptoms predicted sense of community while objective neighborhood characteristics did not; perceived neighborhood characteristics predicted sense of community in both samples. Findings suggest that consumers living in independent housing may achieve levels of psychological community integration comparable to other community members, and that neighborhood factors impact degree of community integration in this population. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Intrapersonal and social–contextual factors related to psychological well‐being among youth experiencing homelessness

Homeless youth are adolescents and young adults who do not have stable dwellings but instead live on the streets, in shelters, or in other unstable situations. Although researchers have begun examining well‐being among this population, little is known about components of well‐being that are relevant to homeless youth or which factors predict differences in well‐being. This study examined psychological well‐being and its associations with demographic characteristics, intrapersonal factors (mental health, optimism, and self‐esteem), and social–contextual factors (social support, sense of community, and empowerment) among 100 youth experiencing homelessness. All of the intrapersonal and social–contextual variables were associated with well‐being at the bivariate level. In the full regression model, only self‐esteem and psychological distress remained significant. Findings inform future research and program development at homeless service centers.     

A mixed methods analysis of housing and neighbourhood impacts on community integration among vulnerably housed and homeless individuals

The current longitudinal study used mixed methods to examine the relationship of housing and neighborhood characteristics and community integration among a population of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals. Participants were recruited at homeless shelters, meal programs, and rooming houses in Ottawa, Canada, and participated in 3 in‐person interviews, each approximately 1 year apart. Participants were placed into either a “high” or a “low” integration group based on their community integration scores at Follow‐up 1 and Follow‐up 2. There were 14 high and 32 low integration participants at Follow‐up 1, and 17 high and 35 low participants at Follow‐up 2. A general inductive approach to analyzing qualitative data was used to code the data. The most salient themes that affected community integration involved substance use in one's housing and neighborhood, neighborhood safety and location, and housing quality. Implications for service provision and policy advancements to better address community integration are discussed.     

Loneliness and social support: Differential predictive power on depression and satisfaction in senior citizens

The lack of social support and the feelings of loneliness among older adults are associated with physical and mental health negative outcomes. This study attempts to test for their differential predictive power on depression and satisfaction in seniors. Data were drawn from a sample of 335 older adults ranging from 55 to 80 years old, with a mean age of 63.97 years (standard deviation = 5.56) attending a learning program at the University of Valencia during the academic year 2014–2015. In addition to health and wellbeing outcomes, we used the Functional Social Support Questionnaire DUKE‐UNC, and two scales of loneliness, the de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and the University of California Loneliness Scale version 3. Using structural equations models with Mplus, two models were proposed to assess the predictive power of social support and loneliness on wellbeing outcomes, specifically life satisfaction and depression, while controlling for health. Results confirm the negative association between loneliness and satisfaction with life and the positive one with depression.     

Social support,rural/urban residence,and depressive symptoms among Chinese adults

This study aims to examine the extent to which people are socially integrated and the association between social support and depressive symptoms among Chinese adults, with regard to the moderating effect of the rural or urban residence. The author used data from the China health and longitudinal study (CHARLS), a nationally representative longitudinal survey of the population of adults aged over 45 in China. A total of 16,372 participants were included in this study, and the mean age of the sample was 59.7. Three variables were used to measure participants' social support: family size, proximity of support, and social involvement. The Chinese version of 10-item center for epidemiologic studies depression scale was used as a measurement tool for depressive symptoms. The findings demonstrate that small family size, living with a spouse, frequency of contact with children, and a number of social activities have significant effects on depressive symptoms. For all aspects of social support, the influence on depressive symptoms is not significantly different between urban and rural areas. Family support, especially the support of a spouse is crucial to prevent depression. This study also identifies the vital effect of social activity and encourages the government to improve public services, especially in rural areas.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FAMILY AND NEIGHBORHOOD INCOME AND FIRST‐GENERATION LATINO ADULTS’ DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND Well‐BEING

This study examines relationships between family and neighborhood income and depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and financial satisfaction among first‐generation immigrant Dominican (N = 255), Puerto Rican (N = 242), and Mexican (N = 212) adults. Results from random intercept regression models revealed family income to be consistently predictive of outcomes across samples. However, this relationship was moderated by neighborhood income. The interaction between family and neighborhood income was related to life satisfaction among Puerto Rican and Mexican samples and to financial satisfaction among all three samples, although the shape of the interactions differed. For lower income Dominican and Puerto Rican adults, living in a higher income neighborhood was associated with increases in satisfaction. In comparison, living in a higher income neighborhood was associated with decreases in satisfaction among lower income Mexican adults. Access to neighborhood resources and social comparisons are proposed as potential underlying mechanisms.     

UNDERSTANDING THE ATTAINMENT OF STABLE HOUSING: A SEVEN‐YEAR LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS OF HOMELESS ADOLESCENTS

Stable housing provides a solid foundation for youth development, making it an essential topic of study among young homeless people. Although gains have been made in research with adolescents and young adults experiencing homelessness, few longitudinal studies of this population exist, clouding the long‐term housing outcome picture. The current study examined the course and risk factors for homelessness in a sample of 243 homeless adolescents followed over a 7‐year period. The vast majority of youth returned to stable housing quickly; however, early experiences of homelessness, even at this young age, were observed to have a substantial negative effect on future housing. Participants from poorer neighborhoods and those identifying as ethnic minorities also took longer to achieve stable housing. The data suggest that family reunification interventions may serve this population well. Preparing youth for returning home may not only prevent subsequent homeless episodes but also improve their overall functioning.     

Social support and psychopathology in homeless patients presenting for emergency psychiatric treatment

We compared homeless to domiciled psychiatric patients' symptomatology and perceived level of social support (PSS) within hours of psychiatric emergency service (PES) arrival. Homeless patients experienced less PSS and more negative symptoms, but not more psychosis, than their domiciled counterparts. Domiciled patients' PSS was highly related to their clinical presentation: less support predicted increased psychopathology. Homeless patients' clinical symptoms, although as common and severe, were unassociated with PSS. These findings suggest that homeless psychiatric patients may be less reactive to positive environmental influences like social support and manifest more severe and refractory symptoms than domiciled patients presenting for emergency treatment.     

Individual, interpersonal, and structural correlates of effective HAART use among urban active injection drug users

Among individuals receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), injection drug users (IDUs) are less likely to achieve HIV suppression. The present study examined individual-level, interpersonal, and structural factors associated with achieving undetectable plasma viral load (UVL) among US IDUs receiving recommended HAART. Data were from baseline assessments of the INSPIRE (Interventions for Seropositive Injectors-Research and Evaluation) study, a 4-site, secondary HIV prevention intervention for heterosexually active IDUs. Of 1113 study participants at baseline, 42% (n = 466) were currently taking recommended HAART (34% were female, 69% non-Hispanic black, 26% recently homeless; median age was 43 years), of whom 132 (28%) had a UVL. Logistic regression revealed that among those on recommended HAART, adjusted odds of UVL were at least 3 times higher among those with high social support, stable housing, and CD4 > 200; UVL was approximately 60% higher among those reporting better patient-provider communication. Outpatient drug treatment and non-Hispanic black race and an interaction between current drug use and social support were marginally negatively significant. Among those with high perceived support, noncurrent drug users compared with current drug users had a greater likelihood of UVL; current drug use was not associated with UVL among those with low support. Depressive symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory) were not significant. Results suggest the major role of social support in facilitating effective HAART use in this population and suggest that active drug use may interfere with HAART use by adversely affecting social support. Interventions promoting social support functioning, patient-provider communication, stable housing, and drug abuse treatment may facilitate effective HAART use in this vulnerable population.     

Stress,social support,and outcomes in two probability samples of homeless adults

This study investigated the main effects of social support measures and their stress‐buffering effects in two samples of homeless adults (Ns=249 and 219) obtained in the same large county (surrounding Detroit) at different points in time over an 8‐year period (1992–1994 and 2000–2002). The findings suggest that the construct of social support, commonly applied to broad community and student samples, can also be usefully applied to at‐risk groups such as the homeless. Although the study's main effects and stress‐buffering effects were generally consistent with existing research on social support, the findings point out that expected results do not consistently emerge even when similar sampling and measurement techniques are employed. For example, a measure of perceived support showed consistent main and stress‐buffering effects on psychological symptoms (but not other outcomes) and social network measures showed less consistent effects on outcomes (e.g., alcohol and drug abuse symptoms). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Resilience to suicide ideation: A cross‐cultural test of the buffering hypothesis

Depression and suicide ideation are common in student populations across the world. The present study investigated factors buffering the association between depression and suicide ideation. A total of 2,687 Chinese students and 601 German students took part in the investigation. Social support, satisfaction with life, self‐efficacy, psychosocial stress resistance, and positive mental health were considered as resilience factors moderating the association between depressive symptoms and suicide ideation within both samples. Positive mental health moderated the impact of depressive symptoms on suicide ideation in German and Chinese students. Life satisfaction moderated the impact of depressive symptoms on suicide ideation in German students. Social support moderated the impact of depressive symptoms on suicide ideation in Chinese students. No interaction effects were found for self‐efficacy and psychosocial stress resistance. Positive mental health, satisfaction with life, and perceived social support seem to confer resilience and should be taken into account, when assessing individuals for suicide risk.     

Husbands' and wives' marital quality: the role of adult attachment orientations, depressive symptoms, and conflict resolution behaviors

Although previous research has examined the role of adult attachment orientations, depressive symptoms, and conflict resolution behaviors (attacking and compromising) in marital quality, these variables have typically been considered separately. In the present study, these attributes were examined together in a community sample of 64 married couples. Correlational analyses revealed significant associations among the study variables and generally supported the hypothesized relations. When a regression series was applied to the data in order to examine indirect links between husbands' and wives' attachment orientations and their marital satisfaction, results provided some support for mediation; husbands' conflict resolution behaviors partially mediated the association between husbands' depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction. Interestingly, wives' conflict resolution behaviors did not mediate the association between wives' depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction. Instead, a different pattern was found; wives' conflict resolution behaviors partially mediated the association between wives' attachment anxiety and marital satisfaction. Findings highlight the importance of considering husbands' and wives' attributes separately and suggest directions for future research on this topic.     

Progression to AIDS,a clinical AIDS condition and mortality: psychosocial and physiological predictors

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of this study is to examine prospectively the association of stressful life events, social support, depressive symptoms, anger, serum cortisol and lymphocyte subsets with changes in multiple measures of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression. METHODS: Ninety-six HIV-infected gay men without symptoms or anti-retroviral medication use at baseline were studied every 6 months for up to 9 years. Disease progression was defined in three ways using the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classifications (e.g. AIDS, clinical AIDS condition and mortality). Cox regression models with time-dependent covariates were used, adjusting for control variables (e.g. race, age, baseline, CD4 T cells and viral load, number of anti-retroviral medications). RESULTS: Higher cumulative average stressful life events and lower cumulative average social support predicted faster progression to both the CDC AIDS classification and a clinical AIDS condition. Higher anger scores and CD8 T cells were associated with faster progression to AIDS, and depressive symptoms were associated with faster development of an AIDS clinical condition. Higher levels of serum cortisol predicted all three measures of disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that stressful life events, dysphoric mood and limited social support are associated with more rapid clinical progression in HIV infection, with serum cortisol also exerting an independent effect on disease progression.     

宠物犬的社会支持作用机制

目的:考察饲养宠物犬、依恋宠物犬的社会支持作用机制.方法:本文为横断面研究,使用问卷法,采取阶段随机抽样,对在北京城八区中随机抽取的4个区中的321名饲养宠物犬和418名不饲养任何宠物的40岁及以上的受试进行调查.结果:(1)饲养宠物犬对身体健康、生活满意感具有显著影响,相对于不饲养宠物的受试,饲养宠物犬的受试身体更健康(β=0.074;P<0.05)、生活满意感更高(β=0.110;P<0.01).(2)饲养宠物犬会改变最近生活事件对身体健康的影响,但不会改变最近生活事件对生活满意感的影响(Z=2.59;P<0.01).(3)依恋宠物犬对生活满意感具有显著影响(β=-0.198;P<0.01),对宠物犬越依恋的受试,生活满意感越高.结论:饲养宠物犬的社会支持主效应及社会支持缓冲作用显著,表现为其对最近生活事件和身体健康的调节效应显著;依恋宠物犬的社会支持主效应显著,但缓冲作用不显著.