scholarly journals IMPLICATIONS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS FOR WOMEN'S WELL-BEING IN LATE LIFE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S213-S213
Author(s):  
Heather Fuller ◽  
Heather Fuller ◽  
Masahiro Toyama

Abstract Social support is well documented as promoting women’s well-being across the lifespan, yet implications vary depending on the source and type of support. The present study examined whether relationships with family, friends, and neighbors (both satisfaction with and number in social network) affected well-being over two years. Midwestern women (N=188, mean age = 80) were sampled from two waves of the Social Integration and Aging Study (2013, 2015). Hierarchical regression models indicated that satisfaction with friends predicted better life satisfaction, but satisfaction with family and neighbors did not predict well-being. In contrast, number of neighbors in social network predicted lower life satisfaction and greater stress, while number of family and friends were not associated with well-being. Moreover, differential effects emerged between older and younger women. Findings highlight unique facets of older women’s social relationships and suggest that future research and interventions addressing age and the source of support are warranted.

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 619-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayşe Sibel Türküm

Optimism, submissive behaviors, richness of social network and demographic variables were examined as predictors of psychological well-being among a cohort of Turkish people (N = 376) using a Turkish version (Şahin & Durak, 1994). of the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1992) a Turkish version (Aydın & Tezer, 1991, revised by Türküm, 2001) of the Life Orientation Test (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994), a Turkish version (Şahin & Şahin, 1992) of the Submissive Acts Scale (Gilbert & Allan, 1994), and the Social Atom Scale (Dökmen, 1993). Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that optimism, submissiveness, marital status and occupation status predict well-being. Social network richness, gender, and educational level did not contribute significantly to the variation in well-being.


2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (31) ◽  
pp. 8148-8156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler J. VanderWeele

Many empirical studies throughout the social and biomedical sciences focus only on very narrow outcomes such as income, or a single specific disease state, or a measure of positive affect. Human well-being or flourishing, however, consists in a much broader range of states and outcomes, certainly including mental and physical health, but also encompassing happiness and life satisfaction, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, and close social relationships. The empirical literature from longitudinal, experimental, and quasiexperimental studies is reviewed in attempt to identify major determinants of human flourishing, broadly conceived. Measures of human flourishing are proposed. Discussion is given to the implications of a broader conception of human flourishing, and of the research reviewed, for policy, and for future research in the biomedical and social sciences.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Olivos ◽  
Pablo Olivos-Jara ◽  
Magdalena Browne

The aim of this study is to understand the effect of asymmetric social comparison on subjective well-being, and how it differs due to reciprocity. Our approach considers the social network of individuals as a local reference group. We tested competing hypotheses on negative and positive effects of comparison with worse-off (downward) and better-off (upward) targets with a representative sample of 1,596 Chileans over the age of 18. The findings support that life satisfaction is influenced by social comparison. By considering the social network as a reference group, the positive effect of downward comparison and the negative effect of upward comparison are confirmed. Upward comparison seems to be more substantial than downward comparison. Additionally, the positive effect of downward comparison decreases slightly with a reciprocal exchange of support between respondents and targets. The application of social network analysis opens a path to understanding the mechanisms underlying social comparison processes.


Author(s):  
Muna Al Bahar ◽  
Masood Badri ◽  
Mugheer Al Khaili ◽  
Fahad Al Neyadi ◽  
Guang Yang ◽  
...  

AbstractThe objective of the study was to identify the factors associated with the subjective well-being of older adults in Abu Dhabi when happiness is taken as the dependent variable. In the present research, a framework based on theoretical models was developed in which older adult’s happiness was seen in a synergistic relationship and was associated with many other variables related to various domains in the social system. The sample consisted of 1,004 older adults aged 60 and above, who participated in the First Abu Dhabi General Social Survey administered in 2018. Many subjective well-being variables were considered. Path analysis was used to develop a model that incorporated the five following variables directly affecting the happiness of older adults: housing satisfaction, satisfaction with family life, satisfaction with friendships, life satisfaction, satisfaction with surrounding environment, and some psychological feelings. The study highlighted all direct and indirect associations. Further analysis of variance revealed the associations of gender, marital status, and education attainment. Implications of the study were highlighted along with future research directions.


Author(s):  
Mariek Vanden Abeele

Recent empirical work suggests that phubbing, a term used to describe the practice of snubbing someone with a phone during a face-to-face social interaction, harms the quality of social relationships. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this chapter presents a framework that integrates three concurrent mechanisms that explain the relational impact of phubbing: expectancy violations, ostracism, and attentional conflict. Based on this framework, theoretically grounded propositions are formulated that may serve as guidelines for future research on these mechanisms, the conditions under which they operate, and a number of potential issues that need to be considered to further validate and extend the framework.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110175
Author(s):  
Roberto Rusca ◽  
Ike-Foster Onwuchekwa ◽  
Catherine Kinane ◽  
Douglas MacInnes

Background: Relationships are vital to recovery however, there is uncertainty whether users have different types of social networks in different mental health settings and how these networks may impact on users’ wellbeing. Aims: To compare the social networks of people with long-term mental illness in the community with those of people in a general adult in-patient unit. Method: A sample of general adult in-patients with enduring mental health problems, aged between 18 and 65, was compared with a similar sample attending a general adult psychiatric clinic. A cross-sectional survey collected demographic data and information about participants’ social networks. Participants also completed the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale to examine well-being and the Significant Others Scale to explore their social network support. Results: The study recruited 53 participants (25 living in the community and 28 current in-patients) with 339 named as important members of their social networks. Both groups recorded low numbers in their social networks though the community sample had a significantly greater number of social contacts (7.4 vs. 5.4), more monthly contacts with members of their network and significantly higher levels of social media use. The in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Conclusions: People with serious and enduring mental health problems living in the community had a significantly greater number of people in their social network than those who were in-patients while the in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Recommendations for future work have been made.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205015792110286
Author(s):  
Theda Radtke ◽  
Theresa Apel ◽  
Konstantin Schenkel ◽  
Jan Keller ◽  
Eike von Lindern

Smartphone use, e.g., on social network sites or instant messaging, can impair well-being and is related to clinical phenomena, like depression. Digital detox interventions have been suggested as a solution to reduce negative impacts from smartphone use on outcomes like well-being or social relationships. Digital detox is defined as timeouts from using electronic devices (e.g., smartphones), either completely or for specific subsets of smartphone use. However, until now, it has been unclear whether digital detox interventions are effective at promoting a healthy way of life in the digital era. This systematic literature review aimed to answer the question of whether digital detox interventions are effective at improving outcomes like health and well-being, social relationships, self-control or performance. Systematic searches of seven databases were carried out according to PRISMA guidelines, and intervention studies were extracted that examined timeouts from smartphone use and/or smartphone-related use of social network sites and instant messaging. The review yielded k = 21 extracted studies (total N = 3,625 participants). The studies included interventions in the field, from which 12 were identified as randomized controlled trials. The results showed that the effects from digital detox interventions varied across studies on health and well-being, social relationships, self-control, or performance. For example, some studies found positive intervention effects, whereas others found no effect or even negative consequences for well-being. Reasons for these mixed findings are discussed. Research is needed to examine mechanisms of change to derive implications for the development of successful digital detox interventions.


Author(s):  
Taylor M. Dattilo ◽  
Randal S. Olshefski ◽  
Leena Nahata ◽  
Jennifer A. Hansen-Moore ◽  
Cynthia A. Gerhardt ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Young individuals face a variety of developmental tasks as they mature into adulthood. For survivors of childhood cancer, growing up may be more difficult due to their illness and late effects from treatment. This study is the first to quantitatively examine perceptions of maturity and how these perceptions contribute to satisfaction with life among young adult survivors of childhood cancer. Methods Ninety survivors of childhood cancer (Mage = 29.8; 7–37 years post-diagnosis) were recruited to complete online surveys on how mature they felt relative to peers, their perceived maturity on three domains (financial, personal, social), and life satisfaction. Results Most survivors (62%; n = 56) felt they grew up faster than their peers, and over half (56%; n = 50) felt more mature. Perceived maturity was high on all three domains, but brain tumor survivors reported significantly lower maturity than other survivors (d = 0.76–1.11). All maturity domains were positively associated with life satisfaction (r = .49–.56). Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that 44% of the variance in life satisfaction was explained by perceptions of growing up slower (β =  − 1.08, p = .004) and marginally by greater perceived personal maturity (β = 0.45, p = .061). Conclusions Childhood cancer can influence development, with most survivors feeling that they grew up faster and were more mature than peers. Personal maturity was related to life satisfaction, with survivors of brain tumors or those who felt they grew up slower at greatest risk for lower life satisfaction. Future research and clinical practice should consider survivors’ development and maturation across the life span to promote overall well-being.


Author(s):  
Richard Bränström ◽  
John E. Pachankis

Abstract Purpose Discriminatory laws, policies, and population attitudes, surrounding transgender people vary greatly across countries, from equal protection under the law and full acceptance to lack of legal recognition and open bias. The consequences of this substantial between-country variation on transgender people’s health and well-being is poorly understood. We therefore examined the association between structural stigma and transgender people’s life satisfaction across 28 countries. Methods Data from transgender participants (n = 6771) in the 2012 EU-LGBT-survey regarding identity concealment, day-to-day discrimination, and life satisfaction were assessed. Structural stigma was measured using publicly available data regarding each country’s discriminatory laws, policies, and population attitudes towards transgender people. Results Multilevel models showed that country-level structural stigma was associated with lower life satisfaction, an association largely explained by higher levels of identity concealment in higher-structural-stigma countries. Yet identity concealment was also associated with lower day-to-day discrimination and therefore protected against even lower life satisfaction. Conclusion The results emphasize the importance of changing discriminatory legislation and negative population attitudes to improve transgender people’s life satisfaction, and also highlight targets for intervention at interpersonal and individual levels.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S434-S434
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Mantantzis ◽  
Denis Gerstorf ◽  
Thomas M Hess

Abstract Research into peripheral physiology and its association with cognition, emotionality, and social/physical functioning has received considerable attention over the years. However, many of the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this symposium, we have compiled a set of four empirical projects that showcase current and future endeavors to address some of the long-standing questions about when, how, and why physiology shapes and is shaped by key psychosocial resources. Hawkley et al. make use of data from the NSHAP and HRS longitudinal studies to investigate whether social relationships such as number of friends predicts risk of diabetes among older adults. Wilson et al. use dyadic data from young and middle-aged couples to examine cardiometabolic similarity among spouses, and how such concordance is shaped by key relationship factors such as emotional closeness. Pauly et al. use data from two daily-life studies of older couples to investigate how physiological synchrony in cortisol is modulated by partner interactions, empathy, and empathic accuracy. Finally, Mantantzis et al. make use of multi-year longitudinal data from the Berlin Aging Study II to examine the role of glucose regulation capacity for trajectories of subjective well-being among older adults. Thomas Hess will discuss the importance of these papers, discuss strengths and weaknesses of the approaches chosen, and consider implications for future research.


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