scholarly journals The Ecology of Unsheltered Homelessness: Environmental and Social-Network Predictors of Well-Being among an Unsheltered Homeless Population

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7328
Author(s):  
Mary-Catherine Anderson ◽  
Ashley Hazel ◽  
Jessica M. Perkins ◽  
Zack W. Almquist
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
General Health ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Homeless Population ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
The Past

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face extreme weather exposure and limited social support. However, few studies have empirically assessed biophysical and social drivers of health outcomes among unsheltered PEH. Social network, health, and outdoor exposure data were collected from a convenience sample of unsheltered PEH (n = 246) in Nashville, TN, from August 2018–June 2019. Using multivariate fixed-effects linear regression models, we examined associations between biophysical and social environments and self-reported general health and emotional well-being. We found that study participants reported the lowest general health scores during winter months—Nashville’s coldest season. We also found a positive association between the number of nights participants spent indoors during the previous week and general health. Participants who spent even one night indoors during the past week had 1.8-point higher general health scores than participants who spent zero nights indoors (p < 0.01). Additionally, participants who experienced a conflict with a social contact in the past 30 days had lower emotional well-being scores than participants who experienced no conflict. Finally, women had worse general health and emotional well-being than men. Ecologically framed research about health and well-being among PEH is critically needed, especially as climate change threatens to increase the danger of many homeless environments.

scholarly journals The Stress of Caring—Resilience and HPA-Axis Activity in Hair Samples of Youth Residential Caregivers

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bürgin ◽  
Nina Kind ◽  
Martin Schröder ◽  
Vera Clemens ◽  
Jörg M. Fegert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Residential Care ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Residential Care Institutions ◽  
Hair Samples

Background: Professional caregivers in youth residential care institutions experience frequent verbal and physical aggression as well as multiple stressors as part of their everyday work, leading to high levels of burnout and staff turnover. Resilience might buffer against psychophysiological stress response and therefore be crucial for well-being in professional caregivers.Objectives: We aimed to investigate if measures related to resilience [sense of coherence (SoC), self-efficacy and self-care] and attachment security of caregivers were cross-sectionally associated with stress markers in hair samples [cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)].Method: Participants (n = 134; 64.2% women) reported on individual resilience measures and provided hair samples for cortisol and DHEA assays. Attachment was assessed in a subsample using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP, n = 69). Linear regression models were fitted to estimate the association between resilience measures and the Cortisol:DHEA ratio, cortisol and DHEA, controlling for gender and age.Results: SoC was associated with a lower Cortisol:DHEA ratio (β = −0.36, p &lt; 0.001), driven by a positive association between SoC and DHEA levels (β = 0.28, p = 0.002). Self-care was also associated with lower Cortisol:DHEA ratios (β = −0.24, p = 0.005), due to self-care being associated with higher DHEA (β = 0.21, p = 0.016). HPA-axis measures were not associated with self-efficacy nor with attachment patterns in a subsample.Conclusions: Our findings imply that youth residential care institutions might benefit from programs focusing on enhancing SoC and self-care practices. Fostering a meaningful, comprehensible and manageable professional climate in caregiving environments and implementing self-care in routine practices might enhance not only well-being but also physical health of professional caregivers and in this way buffer adverse health effects of chronic stressors.

scholarly journals PSII-30 The genetics of functional teats in swine

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 215-216
Author(s):  
Audrey L Earnhardt ◽  
Mark Knauer
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Large White ◽  
Breeding Goal ◽  
Teat Number ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Piglet Survival ◽  
Negative Linear Relationship

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetics of functional teats in swine. Piglet survival is of great importance for swine producers throughout the world due to its relationship with animal well-being and farm profitability. Availability and accessibility of functional teats on a sow during lactation is essential for enhancing piglet livability. Teat traits including total teat number (TT), functional teat number (FT), and non-functional teat number (NFT), were observed and recorded on 3,249 Landrace × Large White F1 sows. Damaged teat number (DT) and functional mammary gland number (FG) were also observed on sows prior to weaning. Variance components were estimated using AIREMLF90, with parity and farm as fixed effects. Means for TT, FT and NFT at farrowing were 14.94, 13.91 and 1.03, respectively, and 14.43, 13.02 and 1.15, respectively at weaning. Means for TT and FT were greater (P &lt; 0.01) at farrowing than at weaning. Heritability estimates for TT, FT and NFT ranged between 0.19 and 0.30, 0.17 and 0.24, and 0.12 and 0.16, respectively. Total teat number and functional teat number had positive genetic correlation estimates ranging from 0.74 to 0.77. Functional mammary glands had a negative linear relationship of -1.16 with DT, and genetic correlations of 0.87 and -0.83 with FT and NFT, respectively. Linear regression models relating TT and FT to number of piglets weaned revealed that an increase of one functional teat at farrowing increased number weaned by 0.26. Overall, there was sufficient genetic variation for total teat number and functional teat number signifying that genetic gains from selecting for these traits is possible. Results also suggest that by focusing selection on functional teat number, an increase in non-functional teat number can be avoided. Therefore, utilizing functional teat number in the breeding goal should improve the general teat quality and sow performance.

Boomerang Kids and Parents’ Well-Being: Adaptation, Stressors, and Social Norms

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Tosi
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Parental Home ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
New Family ◽  
Returning Home

Abstract Previous research has shown that living with an adult child affects the well-being of parents. However, little is known about parental adaptation to changes in living arrangements or about concomitant stressors that may moderate the effect of adult children returning to the parental home. Drawing on data from eight waves of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009–2017), I use distributed fixed effects linear regression models to analyse changes in parents’ symptoms of depression before, during, and after a child’s return to the parental home. The results show that parents experience an increase in symptoms of depression when a child returns home but recover to their previous levels of mental well-being in the subsequent year. Unemployed and low-income children returning home are associated with larger increases in parents’ symptoms of depression, whereas there are no effects with regard to union dissolution. These findings support the hypothesis that children returning home are more detrimental to older parents if it occurs in concomitance with an economic crisis in the child’s life. However, after a short-term decline in their well-being, parents are able to adapt to boomerang moves and accustom themselves to the new family dynamics.

scholarly journals Happiness and Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults: Investigating the Mediational Roles of Disability, Depression, Social Contact Frequency, and Loneliness

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 4954
Author(s):  
Jit Hui Tan ◽  
Edimansyah Abdin ◽  
Shazana Shahwan ◽  
Yunjue Zhang ◽  
Rajeswari Sambasivam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Frequency Of Contact ◽  
Contact Frequency

Background: Understanding the lower level of happiness among older adults with cognitive impairment has been a largely neglected issue. This study (1) reports on the level of happiness among older adults in Singapore and (2) examines the potential mediating roles of depression, disability, social contact frequency, and loneliness in the relationship between cognitive scores and happiness. Methods: Data for this study were extracted from the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study: a cross-sectional; comprehensive single-phase survey conducted among Singapore citizens and permanent residents that were aged 60 years and above (n = 2565). The Geriatric Mental State examination (GMS) was administered to the participants. Questions pertaining to socio-demographic characteristics; happiness; loneliness; social contact; depression; and, disability were utilized in this study. Logistic regression analyses and mediation analyses were used to explore the correlates of happiness and potential mediating factors. Results: Overall, 96.2% of older adults in Singapore reported feeling either fairly happy or very happy. In the regression analysis, individuals of Malay descent, those who were married/cohabiting, or had higher education levels were more likely to report feeling happy. After controlling for socio-demographic factors, higher cognitive scores were associated with higher odds of reporting happiness. We found that the positive association between cognition and happiness was fully mediated by disability, depression, loneliness, and frequency of contact with friends. Conclusion: The majority of the older adult population reported feeling fairly or very happy. While cognitive impairment has shown limited reversibility in past studies, unhappiness among older adults with cognitive impairment might be potentially mitigated through interventions addressing accompanying issues of social isolation, disability, and depression

scholarly journals Parental Deployment, Adolescent Academic and Social–Behavioral Maladjustment, and Parental Psychological Well-being in Military Families

2016 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Nicosia ◽  
Elizabeth Wong ◽  
Victoria Shier ◽  
Samira Massachi ◽  
Ashlesha Datar
Keyword(s):  
Military Families ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Us Army ◽  
The Past ◽  
Parent Outcomes ◽  
Nutrition Study ◽  
Army Personnel ◽  
Behavioral Maladjustment

Objective: Increases in the frequency and length of military deployments have raised concerns about the well-being of military families. We examined the relationship between a military parent’s deployment and (1) adolescent academic and social–behavioral maladjustment and (2) parental psychological well-being. Methods: We collected data from April 2013 through January 2014 from 1021 families of enlisted US Army personnel with children aged 12 or 13 during the Military Teenagers’ Environments, Exercise, and Nutrition Study. Through online parent surveys, we collected data on deployment, adolescent academic and social–behavioral maladjustment, and parental psychological well-being. We estimated adjusted logistic and linear regression models for adolescents (all, boys, girls), military parents (all, fathers, mothers), and civilian parents. Results: Compared with no or short deployments, long deployments (>180 days in the past 3 years) were associated with significantly higher odds of decreases in adolescent academic performance (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.54), independence (AOR = 2.04), and being responsible (AOR = 1.95). These associations were also significant for boys but not for girls. Among parents, long deployments were associated with significantly higher odds of being depressed (AOR = 2.58), even when controlling for adolescent maladjustment (AOR = 2.54). These associations did not differ significantly between military and civilian parents and were significant for military fathers but not military mothers. Recent deployment (in the past 12 months) was not associated with either adolescent or parent outcomes. Conclusion: Long deployments are associated with adolescents’ academic and social–behavioral maladjustments and diminished parental well-being, especially among boys and military fathers.

scholarly journals A social network analysis of the role of social contact in mental illness stigma using the 2018 General Social Survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brea Louise Perry ◽  
Elizabeth Felix ◽  
Megan Bolton ◽  
Erin L. Pullen ◽  
Bernice A. Pescosolido
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Network ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Illness Stigma ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Social Survey ◽  
People With Mental Illness

Despite decades of research and dozens of public health campaigns, stigma continues to negatively affect the well-being and life chances of people labeled with a mental illness. One of the most promising directions for reducing stigma lies in Allport’s (1954) theory of intergroup contact, suggesting that social interactions with people with mental illness invalidate negative stereotypes, decrease fear and anxiety, and enable perspective-taking and empathy. While the empirical literature is largely supportive of the contact hypothesis, social network theory indicates that the degree to which contact reduces stigma should depend on the nature, magnitude, and valence of exposure to people with mental illness. We address this question using data from the National Stigma Study – Replication II (NSS-R II), fielded on a special module of the 2018 General Social Survey (N=1,179). We find that simply knowing someone with mental illness, or even the number of people one knows, explains little about the public’s desire for social distance, endorsement of coercion, or perceptions of dangerousness. However, having stronger relationships with more people with mental illness, and having more friends and family (but not more peripheral ties) with mental illness, are associated with reductions in stigma. In contrast, exposure to more dangerousness or violence among people in the network with mental illness is associated with greater levels of stigma, while contact with more people who are in treatment for mental illness (as opposed to untreated) is linked to less stigma.

scholarly journals Exploring Aspects of Health and Well-Being in Siblings of Young Homicide Victims

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-94
Author(s):  
Susan Louise Tasker ◽  
Kenneth Edmond Wright
Keyword(s):  
General Health ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Distress ◽  
School Work ◽  
The Past ◽  
Self Worth ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Larger Sample

Anecdotal report and a scant literature suggest homicide has lasting effects on the health and well-being of siblings of homicide victims. However, sample and other methodological problems make it difficult to claim these effects. It also makes it difficult to attribute these effects to a sibling’s homicide versus other distressing life events. We compared 67 siblings of homicide victims with 80 comparison siblings on aspects of general health and well-being. Similar occupation types and levels of income, education, general health perception, and self-worth were found. The Homicide Group reported significantly higher levels of subjective distress and school/work absences in the past 3 months due to feeling unwell, and significantly less social support and life satisfaction. This study contributes to the literature by adding a larger sample on the issue of siblings of homicide victims and including a Comparison Group. Findings advance understanding of homicide’s effects on siblings of homicide victims.

scholarly journals Indicators of Pre-Suicidal State of Minors in the Internet Space

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-61
Author(s):  
E.S. Ponomareva ◽  
V.V. Delibalt
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sentence Completion ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cognitive Errors ◽  
Online Behavior ◽  
The Past ◽  
Child Questionnaire

The article aims to describe potential indicators of pre-suicidal state of minors manifesting in online-behavior that were revealed in the empirical study which involved 43 respondents aged 13-15 (M=14.19). The subjects for the study were selected among the teenagers who had responded to our advertisement messages published in various groups on the VKontakte social network. The following methodologies were used: UCLA Loneliness Scale (version 3) (D. Russell, L. A. Peplau, M. Ferguson); Beck Hopelessness Inventory; WHO-5 Well-being Index (1998); Cognitive Errors in Online Communication (I.S. Luchinkina); Sentence Completion for Events from the Past Test (SCEPT) (F.Raes et al.); Individual Typological Child Questionnaire (L.N. Sobchik). The data obtained lead to conclude about the characteristics of the profile related to presence of a distinct pre-suicidal condition: a tendency towards increase in the proportion between the number of subscriptions where suicide is mentioned (including those associated with corresponding emotions, as well communities collecting suicide-related art) and the total number of subscriptions. The number of comments on one's page is inversely proportional to the severity of one's pre-suicidal condition.

scholarly journals Children’s Experiences of Stress in Joint Physical Custody

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Augustijn
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Family Dissolution ◽  
Care Arrangement ◽  
The Family ◽  
Joint Physical Custody ◽  
Physical Custody ◽  
Custody Arrangements

Abstract Background Joint physical custody is a parental care arrangement in which children live roughly an equal amount of time with each parent after family dissolution, residing alternately in each of the two parental households. Because joint physical custody is characterised by fathers’ continued involvement in their children’s lives, this care arrangement is believed to compensate for the negative effects of family dissolution, and to contribute to children’s well-being in post-separation families. Objective This study aims to investigate potential differences in the experiences of stress of children living in joint physical custody and sole physical custody arrangements, while considering both the proportion of time the children spend with each of their parents and the number of transitions the children make between the parental households. Methods Based on data from the Family Models in Germany (FAMOD) study, a national convenience sample, linear regression models were estimated for 297 children between the ages of 11 and 14. Results The statistical analysis suggests that there was no significant association between the physical custody type (sole physical custody vs. joint physical custody) and the children’s levels of stress. In addition, the results revealed that children’s experiences of stress did not depend on how often they moved between their parents’ households. Conclusions This study does not corroborate the assumption that joint physical custody has a protective effect on children, but instead suggests that different physical custody arrangements are associated with different stressors that lead to similar levels of stress in children living in different post-separation families.

scholarly journals Unsustainable Working Conditions: The Association of Destructive Leadership, Use of Technology, and Workload with Workaholism and Exhaustion

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Molino ◽  
Claudio Cortese ◽  
Chiara Ghislieri
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Destructive Leadership ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample

Job demands typical of the current working environments and negative leadership styles may be considered unsustainable factors able to decrease workers well-being. Moreover, contrary to the idea that workaholism is an innate individual characteristic, a recent perspective considers the working context able to foster its insurgence. In order to investigate unsustainable dynamics within organizations, this study aimed at examining whether (1) destructive leadership increases workload and supplemental work supported by technology, (2) the three job demands increases workaholism, and (3) workaholism mediates their relationship with exhaustion. A convenience sample of 432 workers filled in a self-report questionnaire. The structural equation model results showed a positive relationship between destructive leadership and workload, off-work hour Technology-Assisted Job Demand (off-TAJD), and workaholism. Moreover, both workload and off-TAJD partially mediated the relationship between destructive leadership and workaholism. Finally, workaholism was a mediator between the three demands and exhaustion. The study confirmed a positive association between job demands and workaholism, and, in turn, their association with exhaustion, highlighting in particular the role of two under-investigated determinants, namely destructive leadership and off-TAJD, as unsustainable working conditions. Despite limitations, above all the cross-sectional design, this study provided useful indications for research and practice.

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