scholarly journals Reciprocity: A Predictor of Mental Health and Continuity in Elderly People's Relationships? A Review

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Live Fyrand
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Final Conclusion ◽  
Reciprocal Relations ◽  
Elderly Parents ◽  
Mental Health Benefits ◽  
Positive Effect

Many studies have demonstrated that social relationships confer mental health benefits. This paper aims to identify whether and howreciprocityin social relationships predicts or is associated with mental health benefits as well as with continuity in elderly people's social relationships. The studies reviewed in this paper show that, among elders, being in a balanced or underbenefited reciprocal position predicts better mental health and life quality than being in an overbenefited position. Throughout the course of life, reciprocity evens out present and earlier reciprocal imbalances, securing continuity in close relationships—particularly between spouses and between elderly parents and adult children. In friendships, securing continuity seems to be based on the maintenance of independence based on balanced reciprocal relations, making these relationships more vulnerable. Due to the problems of conceptualization and measurement in the reviewed studies, one should be cautious in stating a final conclusion that the reciprocity norm has a universal positive effect on mental health and continuity in elderly people's relationships.

Affection Exchange Theory

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kory Floyd ◽  
Benjamin E. Custer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Supportive Behaviors ◽  
Mental Health Benefits ◽  
Verbal Behaviors

Affectionate communication constitutes verbal behaviors (e.g., saying “I love you”), nonverbal gestures (e.g., hugging, handholding), and socially supportive behaviors (e.g., helping with a project) that humans employ to develop and maintain close relationships with others. In addition to its relational benefits, affectionate communication contributes to health and wellness for both senders and receivers. Affection exchange theory (AET) addresses the questions of why humans engage in affectionate communication and why diverse benefits are associated with such behaviors. A robust empirical literature supports AET’s contention that both expressing and receiving affectionate behavior are associated with physical and mental health benefits. Despite these contributions, however, some compelling questions about affectionate communication remain to be addressed, and AET can provide a useful framework for doing so.

Administering Generous Mental Health Benefits: Opinions of Employers

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail Robinson ◽  
◽  
Lisa Chimento ◽  
Stacey Bush ◽  
John Papay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Mental Health Benefits

National Identification, A Social Cure for COVID-19? Evidence From 67 Countries

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Bonetto ◽  
Sylvain Delouvée ◽  
Yara Mahfud ◽  
Jais Adam-Troian
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
National Identification ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mental Health Benefits

Social distancing and mass quarantines were implemented worldwide in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Prior research on the effects of social isolation has shown that such measures bear negative consequences for population health and well-being. Conversely, a growing body of evidence suggests that feeling positively identified with a group is associated with a range of physical and mental health benefits. This effect is referred to as the social cure and generalizes to various identities. In line with these findings, this study tested whether national identification could promote wellbeing and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic. To do so, we used survey data conducted among 67 countries (N = 46,450) which included measures of wellbeing, national identification, and subjective physical health. Mixed-model analyses revealed that national identity was indeed associated with wellbeing - despite adjustment on social belonging, COVID-19 perceived risk, exposure, and ideology. This effect did not extend to subjective health. These results suggest that the mere feeling of belonging to a national group may have mental health benefits and could be leveraged by governments. We discuss the implications of our findings within the social cure framework and their relevance for population mental health under COVID-19.

Learning as an Important Privilege: A Life Span Perspective with Implications for Successful Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
Rachel Wu ◽  
Jiaying Zhao ◽  
Cecilia Cheung ◽  
Misaki N. Natsuaki ◽  
George W. Rebok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Functional Independence ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Mental Health Benefits

Research has demonstrated the cognitive and mental health benefits of learning new skills and content across the life span, enhancing knowledge as well as cognitive performance. We argue that the importance of this learning – which is not available equally to all – goes beyond the cognitive and mental health benefits. Learning is important for not only the maintenance, but also enhancement of functional independence in a dynamic environment, such as changes induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and technological advances. Learning difficult skills and content is a privilege because the opportunities for learning are neither guaranteed nor universal, and it requires personal and social engagement, time, motivation, and societal support. This paper highlights the importance of considering learning new skills and content as an <i>important privilege</i> across the life span and argues that this privilege becomes increasingly exclusionary as individuals age, when social and infrastructural support for learning decreases. We highlight research on the potential positive and negative impacts of retirement, when accessibility to learning opportunities may vary, and research on learning barriers due to low expectations and limited resources from poverty. We conclude that addressing barriers to lifelong learning would advance theories on life span cognitive development and raise the bar for successful aging. In doing so, our society might imagine and achieve previously unrealized gains in life span cognitive development, through late adulthood.

The ultimate guide to your at-home fitness regime

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 276-277
Author(s):  
Jay Kara
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Benefits ◽  
At Home

There are huge physical and mental health benefits of exercise, even more so during these unprecedented times. Here, fitness coach Jay Kara offers his guide to the perfect home workout

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