Comparisons of Social Support and Social Networks in Homeless and Vulnerably Housed Women

Social support is closely connected to mental health and well-being as well as experiences of housing vulnerability. This study explored differences between homeless and vulnerably housed women in their experiences of social support. Forty-nine homeless and 43 vulnerably housed women completed 3 measures to assess their social networks, social support networks, and global social support. Vulnerably housed women reported fewer social support network members than homeless women. Social support network size was found to be a predictor of global social support score. These findings suggest that housing status impacts social support in homeless and vulnerably housed women, which may have implications for their well-being.

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Social Support and Well-Being: Preliminary Indicators Based on Two Samples of the Elderly

The International Journal of Aging and Human Development ◽

10.2190/au9t-bp1k-l6bd-ab9a ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 61-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Mary J. Levitt ◽

Toni C. Antonucci ◽

M. Cherie Clark ◽

James Rotton ◽

Gordon E. Finley

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Well Being ◽

The Elderly ◽

National Sample ◽

Network Size ◽

Support Network ◽

Geographic Proximity ◽

Supportive Relationships ◽

Two Samples

The structure of social support and its relation to health, affect, and life satisfaction are compared for two samples of the elderly. The first is a national representative sample; the second is a distressed sample from South Miami Beach. Although there are similarities in the structure of social support across the two groups, those in the Miami Beach sample report fewer support figures, and far fewer within geographic proximity, than do those in the national sample. This comparative network impoverishment is particularly marked for male respondents and is accentuated by a high number of isolates in this group. In addition, stronger relationships are found between support network size and affect, and among affect, life satisfaction, and health in the South Miami Beach sample. Older men in poor health and without supportive relationships are targeted as a particularly high risk subgroup. The discussion includes a focus on personal, situational, and life span differences related to variations in support and well-being and a consideration of implications for more recent waves of elderly sun-belt migrants.

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The Social Networks and Social Support of Siblings of Children with Cancer

Children ◽

10.3390/children9010113 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 113

Author(s):

Sarah E. Wawrzynski ◽

Melissa A. Alderfer ◽

Whitney Kvistad ◽

Lauri Linder ◽

Maija Reblin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Network Size ◽

Support Networks ◽

Support Network ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Children With Cancer ◽

Network Characteristics ◽

The Social ◽

Need Support ◽

Sources Of Support

Siblings of children with cancer need support to ameliorate the challenges they encounter; however, little is known about what types and sources of support exist for siblings. This study addresses this gap in our understanding of the social networks and sources of support for adolescents with a brother or sister who has cancer. Additionally, we describe how the support siblings receive addresses what they feel are the hardest aspects of being a sibling of a child with cancer. During semi-structured interviews, siblings (ages 12–17) constructed ecomaps describing their support networks. Data were coded for support type (emotional, instrumental, informational, validation, companionship) and support provider (e.g., mother, teacher, friend). Network characteristics and patterns of support were explored. Support network size ranged from 3 to 10 individuals (M = 6 ± 1.9); siblings most frequently reported mothers as sources of support (n = 22, 91.7%), followed by fathers (n = 19, 79.2%), close friends (n = 19, 79.2%) and siblings (with or without cancer) (n = 17, 70.8%). Friends and brothers or sisters most often provided validation and companionship while instrumental and informational supports came from parents. This study provides foundational knowledge about siblings’ support networks, which can be utilized to design interventions that improve support for siblings of children with cancer.

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Analysis of User Social Support Network in Online Tumor Community

Data and Information Management ◽

10.2478/dim-2020-0040 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 184-194

Author(s):

Hui Lin ◽

Shijuan Li

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Social Networks ◽

Network Analysis ◽

Personal Information ◽

Internet Technology ◽

Support Network ◽

Social Support Network ◽

Information Behaviors ◽

The Social ◽

Professional Health

AbstractWith the development of Internet technology, online health forums have become indispensable for people who seek non-professional health support. This research focuses on the content posted by cancer patients and their relatives in online health forums and social networks to raise the following research questions: What is the overall view of the social support network in the online tumor community? What are the information behaviors of the online tumor community in different identities of users? How users interact in this community and build this network of social support? What are the topics users would like to share and talk about? What kinds of users could be the key users in this community? Method: Using the post and comment data of the Oncology Forum of Tianya Hospital in 2019, combined with social network analysis and word co-occurrence network analysis, the following conclusions are obtained: (1) There are some central points in the overall social support network, and there are central users consistent with other social networks. (2) Positive users are more likely to comment on others, and it is easier to get others’ comments, while negative users are more likely to share personal information and do not want to participate more in social interaction. (3) Users focus on posting emotional and emotional content in content sharing. Information-based social support information. The social support experience that this type of information brings to users can be positive and negative. (4) The most active group in the patients’ online health community, followed by the patients’ children. (5) The relationship between users and patients is diverse and there are two types of singularity. Users with diverse relationships are more likely to be commented on, and they are more willing to comment on users who also have diverse relationships.

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Building and Connecting: Family Strategies for Developing Social Support Networks for Adults With Down Syndrome

Journal of Family Nursing ◽

10.1177/1074840718823578 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 128-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anne E. Roll ◽

Barbara J. Bowers

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Family Members ◽

Well Being ◽

Support Networks ◽

Support Network ◽

Future Research ◽

Social Support Networks ◽

The Social ◽

Professional Resources

Being embedded in social networks is crucial for well-being and health. While this is particularly the case for people with Down syndrome (DS), our knowledge of how their support networks are developed is limited. This article investigates the role of family members in developing and maintaining the social support networks of their adult children with DS. Based on 29 interviews with family members, a grounded theory study was conducted. The Family Building and Connecting (BAC) framework was developed, which distinguishes a “building” and a “connecting” approach. The building approach includes strategies that rely on family members and close friends for building a support network for the person with DS. The connecting approach includes strategies that connect the person with DS to external and often professional resources and services. Distinguishing these approaches is important for future research and for strengthening the support networks of people with DS and their families.

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From where does my support come? Unpacking the contribution of support for police

Policing An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management ◽

10.1108/pijpsm-07-2020-0130 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

April D. Schantz ◽

Stefany Coxe ◽

Valentina Bruk-Lee

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Social Network ◽

Police Officers ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Support Network ◽

Social Support Network ◽

Component Structure ◽

Content Type ◽

The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to explore the structure and impact of police officers' social support network on health and well-being. Social integration promotes opportunities for regular positive experiences and a set of stable, socially rewarded roles within one's work and life domains. Identifying the structure and impact areas of police officers' social support network provide guidance for initiatives in improving psychological health for the department and individual officers.Design/methodology/approachSurvey of 162 police officers' sources of support provided a holistic representation of their social network across seven sources. Principle component analyses were conducted to explore the structure of one's social network. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine overall impact of one's social support network and relative contributions of support sources in terms of increased well-being and reduced strain.FindingsA three-component structure of social support was partially supported. Overall models of the impact of one's social support network related to increased well-being and reduced strain was supported. Relative contributions of support sources show different patterns based on outcome of interest.Practical implicationsProvides guidance for addressing the psychological well-being needs for officers holistically. In other words, treating officers as whole beings, whose system of support and psychological health is integrated, not piecemeal.Originality/valueExamination of principle effects of support provides a parsimonious approach to considering the holistic value of one's support system, apart from specific stressors or conditions.

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The Impact of a Peer Social Support Network from the Perspective of Women with Fibromyalgia: A Qualitative Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182312801 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (23) ◽

pp. 12801

Author(s):

Glòria Reig-Garcia ◽

Cristina Bosch-Farré ◽

Rosa Suñer-Soler ◽

Dolors Juvinyà-Canal ◽

Núria Pla-Vila ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Complex Disease ◽

Patient Empowerment ◽

Well Being ◽

Support Network ◽

Social Support Network ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Peer Social Support ◽

The Impact

Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic and complex disease whose management by patients requires a high level of commitment. Patient empowerment therefore represents an important milestone in chronic disease treatment and control. We explored the impact of a peer social support network from the perspective of women with fibromyalgia. Methods: A generic qualitative design was proposed for the study, for which women who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia were purposefully selected. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the collected data were thematically analysed. Results: Three key themes emerged regarding the peer social support network: (1) empowerment (facilitating acceptance of the diagnosis and acting as a source of information); (2) effects on well-being and quality of life (attenuated the stigma, improved physical well-being, provided emotional support and was a socialization medium); and (3), valuable aspects (transmitted feelings of being understood and listened to and increased personal feelings of satisfaction). Conclusions: A peer social support network for women with fibromyalgia exerts positive effects on their physical, mental, and social well-being and empowers them to better manage their disease. Healthcare for women with fibromyalgia should include strategies that connect them through peer social support networks.

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The role of internet-based social support network in immigrant settlement

10.32920/ryerson.14660484.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Julie Xiaoping Lin

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Social Capital ◽

Social Networks ◽

Acculturative Stress ◽

Online Social Networks ◽

Support Networks ◽

Support Network ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

Online Social Support ◽

The Government

This is an exploratory study on the roles that internet-based social networks play in supporting immigrants in their settlement process, using NewBridger as an example. This research finds that online social networks are able to provide informational, socio-emotional, and some material and instrumental support to immigrants that help meet their settlement needs. Information passed through NewBridger helps immigrants with employment, housing, education and training, leisure, and daily living related issues. Socio-emotional support helps reduce acculturative stress by fostering a sense of belonging and friendship, and by exchanging expressions of love, care and encouragement. Support for immigrants also takes the form of social capital building. This study concludes that online social support networks are valuable supplement to formal support networks consisting of the government and the non-profit sector. This study builds on the theoretical frameworks of social support, social capital and acculturative stress.

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The social support networks of elderly people in Slovenia during the Covid-19 pandemic

10.31235/osf.io/uat4e ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marjan Cugmas ◽

Anuška Ferligoj ◽

Tina Kogovšek ◽

Zenel Batagelj

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Elderly People ◽

Elderly Population ◽

Well Being ◽

The Elderly ◽

Support Networks ◽

Support Network ◽

Social Support Networks ◽

Ego Networks ◽

The Social

Population ageing requires society to adjust by ensuring additional types of services and assistance for elderly people. These may be provided by either organized services and sources of informal social support. The latter is especially important since a lack of social support is associated with a lower level of psychological and physical well-being. During the Covid-19 pandemic, social support for the elderly has proven to be even more crucial, also due to physical distancing. Therefore, this study aims to identify and describe the various types of personal social support networks of the elderly population during the coronavirus pandemic. To this end, a survey of Slovenians older than 64 years was conducted from April 25 to May 4, 2020 on a probability Web-panel-based sample (n = 605). The ego-networks were clustered by a hierarchical clustering approach for symbolic data. Clustering was performed for different types of social support (socializing, instrumental support, emotional support) and different characteristics of the social support networks (i.e., type of relationship, number of contacts, geographical distance). The results show that most of the elderly population in Slovenia have a satisfactory social support network, while the share of those without any (accessible) source of social support is significant. The results are particularly valuable for sustainable care policy planning, crisis intervention planning as well as any future waves of the coronavirus.

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