Social Support is Associated with Better Health in the Face of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to influence the health of the nation, both directly and indirectly, though increased stress. As with other stressful crises, social support may buffer against the deleterious effects of the stress surrounding COVID-19 (Cohen & Wills, 1985). We were interested in how self-reported health changed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and whether age or positive social exchanges influenced this potential change. We tested a latent growth curve model of change in SF12 scores over 4 points of measurement during the first year of the pandemic. Data from 237 adults (Mean age 40.7 yrs) were used to test whether SF12 scores changed over the 11 month period and whether age and initial positive social exchanges influenced both the intercept and trajectory of change over time. Results showed that the model fit the data well, X2 (DF = 13, N = 237) = 11.44, p = .57, RMSEA < .06. Of note, older age was associated with both better initial health (b = .036**) and a slower decrease over the year (b = -.005*). Initial positive social exchanges were associated with better initial health (b = .067*) but did not alter the trajectory of change over time. These findings suggest an age-related advantage for health in the face of COVID-19 and that positive social support is associated with better health, at least at the very beginning of the pandemic.

The Importance of Positive Social Support During Reentry From Prison: Examining the Role of Volunteer Mentoring

Social support appears to be important in improving outcomes for incarcerated individuals during the reentry process not only in terms of general wellbeing but also in gaining employment and avoiding recidivism. Mentoring programs have become increasingly popular interventions that are intended to provide such support during reentry. However, research on mentoring programs is limited and tends to focus solely on the programs’ impact on recidivism, a distal outcome. Through the use of semi-structured, in-depth interviews, this qualitative study focuses on more proximal outcomes, exploring how reentering individuals who are receiving volunteer mentoring through a transitional housing program define successful reentry and perceive the value of different types of support they received from their mentors. Participants identified several indicators of successful reentry and discussed the types of support that were helpful, harmful, or absent. Implications for practice and areas for future research are discussed.

The Relationship between Political, Economic, Social, and Cultural Vulnerability and Food Insecurity among Adults Aged 50 Years and Older

Individuals experience food insecurity when they worry about or have limited access to nutritious foods. Food insecurity negatively impacts older adults’ health. Social exclusion is a theoretical framework describing how unequal access to rights, resources, and capabilities results in political, economic, social, and cultural vulnerability, which leads to health disparities. We used the Health and Retirement Study to cross-sectionally examine associations between vulnerability and experiencing food insecurity in adults 50 years and older using the social exclusion framework. We tested the association between experiencing food insecurity and indicators of political, economic, social, and cultural vulnerability using logistic regression controlling for demographic and health-related factors. Analyses were performed with all respondents and sub-group of respondents with incomes less than 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Assets (OR = 0.97 in both samples), income (OR = 0.85, 0.80 in 400% FPL sub-sample), perceived positive social support from other family (OR = 0.86, 0.84 in 400% FPL sub-sample), and perceived everyday discrimination (OR = 1.68, 1.82 in 400% FPL sub-sample) were significantly associated with food insecurity. Perceived positive social support from spouses, children, or friends and U.S. citizenship status were not significantly associated with food insecurity. Further research is needed to define and measure each dimension of vulnerability in the social exclusion framework. Interventions and policies designed to prevent food insecurity should address these vulnerabilities.

Co-Rumination May Mitigate Depressive and Anxious Symptoms for Those High in Social Interaction Anxiety

Introduction: Early co-rumination research has demonstrated that engagement in co-rumination, or persistent discussion of one's problems at length, can lead to increased depressive and anxious symptoms. There is limited research examining the direct relationship between a specialized type of anxiety—social interaction anxiety—and co-rumination, and that research has conflicting results, making it unclear what the relationship between the two is. The purpose of the present study was to further examine the relationship between co-rumination and social interaction anxiety, depressive symptoms, and symptoms of anxiety. Method: Ninety-six college women and men completed online questionnaires twice, separated by one month. Results: We found that co-rumination at Time 1 negatively predicted social interaction anxiety at Time 2. We also found co-rumination predicted reduced depressive symptoms, but only among those who had moderate and high levels of social interaction anxiety. In that respect, our findings replicate van Zalk and Tillfors (2017), who found that co-rumination acts as a buffer against depressive symptoms for individuals high in social anxiety. Our study also offers an extension of van Zalk and Tillfors in that the same pattern was found for anxious symptoms, but only among those with the highest levels of social interaction anxiety. Discussion: Therefore, co-rumination for highly socially-anxious individuals may serve as a form of positive social support, which highlights important individual differences on internalizing symptoms.

Older adults’ experience of active computer gaming for falls prevention exercise: A mixed methods study

PURPOSE: This mixed methods study explored older adults’ experience using a bespoke active computer gaming (ACG) system designed to deliver falls prevention exercise. METHODS: Usability, acceptability and safety were evaluated through observation of system use, questionnaires, in-system ratings, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data were synthesised concurrently to provide a deeper understanding of older adults’ experience with the system. RESULTS: N = 7 older adults (aged 73–88 years, most with increased fear of falling, and over half with reduced physical functioning) completed up to six uses of the system. Observations and qualitative feedback suggested that older adults’ experience with the system was influenced by physical health changes associated with ageing. Overall feedback after using the system was positive. Social support, from either the clinician or a peer, was a key theme influencing experience. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggested that autonomous use of the system may not be feasible given the requirement and preference for social support.

Perceived Social Support and Psychological Well-being among Visually Impaired Individuals: A Qualitative Study

Social support is an important resource which facilitates coping and raises the quality of life. This study examines how different forms of social support are perceived by the visually impaired individuals living in Turkey (positive or negative), and the impact on these individuals’ psychological well-being. This qualitative phenomenological study is conducted by semi-structured interview techniques and 21 visually impaired and volunteer (11 female, 10 male) adults over 18 years (M = 28, SD = 6,34) who live in Ankara participated in the study. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. There were 4 main themes: Centrality of the sighted world, negative social support, positive social support, and accessibility. The most frequently repeated sub themes were gathered under the main themes of negative social support and centrality of the sighted world; the majority of the participants mentioned the effect of living independently. Moreover, the lack of information in society and the negative effects of interference under the will to help are frequently mentioned. On the other hand, the sub themes of mutual support, perceiving blindness as a difference, not a deficiency were presented under the main theme of positive social support. Keywords: Visually impaired, perceived social support, psychological well-being

Psychological Well-Being pada Pengungsi Pencari Suaka yang Tinggal di Negara Transit

The number of refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia continues to increase. During the process of finding a solution, many things happen in their lives that have an impact on psychology. This study focuses on the psychological well-being of refugees seeking asylum in transit countries. This study used qualitative research methods. A purposive sampling technique was conducted to determine six subjects, consisting of groups of unaccompanied adolescents, heads of families, and single mothers. Data obtained through interview and observation methods. The reason the researchers used this research technique was to dig deeper into the psychological well-being aspects of refugees seeking asylum in transit countries. The results showed that age and positive social support greatly affected the psychological well-being of the unaccompanied adolescent group and the head of the family, while the lack of social support for the single mother group subject made the subject experience low psychological well-being. Indonesian Abstract. Jumlah pengungsi dan pencari suaka di Indonesia terus meningkat. Selama proses penemuan solusi, banyak hal terjadi dalam hidup mereka yang berdampak pada dampak psikologis. Penelitian ini berfokus pada kesejahteraan psikologis pengungsi pencari suaka di negara transit. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif. Teknik purposive sampling dilakukan untuk menentukan enam subjek, yang terdiri dari kelompok remaja tanpa pendamping, kepala keluarga, dan ibu tunggal. Data diperoleh melalui metode wawancara dan observasi. Alasan peneliti menggunakan teknik penelitian ini adalah untuk menggali lebih dalam aspek kesejahteraan psikologis pengungsi pencari suaka di negara transit. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa usia dan dukungan sosial yang positif sangat mempengaruhi kesejahteraan psikologis subjek kelompok remaja tanpa pendamping dan kepala keluarga, sedangkan kurangnya dukungan sosial pada subjek kelompok single mother membuat subjek mengalami kesejahteraan psikologis. rendah.

A Conceptual Model of Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance: The Importance of Cognitive, Empirical and Computational Approaches

Living with obesity is related to numerous negative health outcomes, including various cancers, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Although much is known about the factors associated with obesity, and a range of weight loss interventions have been established, changing health-related behaviours to positively affect obesity outcomes has proven difficult. In this paper, we first draw together major factors that have emerged within the literature on weight loss to describe a new conceptual framework of long-term weight loss maintenance. Key to this framework is the suggestion that increased positive social support influences a reduction in psychosocial stress, and that this has the effect of promoting better executive functioning which in turn facilitates the development of healthy habits and the breaking of unhealthy habits, leading to improved ongoing maintenance of weight loss. We then outline how the use of computational approaches are an essential next step, to more rigorously test conceptual frameworks, such as the one we propose, and the benefits that a mixture of conceptual, empirical and computational approaches offer to the field of health psychology.

Organizational Resilience During Times of Trauma

Effective communication and resilience are integral components in an organization's structure, particularly during and after situations of trauma. Trauma includes both internal factors (i.e., layoffs, mergers, unexpected changes in management, lack of positive social support) and external factors (natural disasters, economic insecurity, social violence). An organization's level of resilience to these factors is determined by the event's type, timing, location, rate of recurrence, and duration. In addition, proactive planning impacts organizational resilience. This chapter will focus on the importance of resilience during times of trauma, how resilience relates to leadership, and mental health experiences by employees.