Social networks: A village of support for single mothers

The purpose of this study was to expand the literature by investigating the perception of social support by single mothers who sought online support through social media. This study explored sources of social support in single mothers using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) to examine if income, education level, or type of marital status is related to sources of social support among single mothers who utilized online support. The study also investigated statements regarding support from family, friends, and significant others that were ranked highest by single mothers who utilized online support. Results revealed that participants received sufficient amounts of social support from family, friends, and significant others, with income accounting for 12% of the variance in social support subscale scores and no significant differences with regards to education level or type of marital status. Results also indicated that three of the four most strongly rated items on the MSPSS related to social support from friends. This study invites mental health providers and researchers to consider the value and utilization of social media networks for single mothers.     

Gatekeeper's response: A rejoinder

Gender, marital status, age, and race were considered in relation to the amount and assessment of social ties among 1,124 unmarried men and women aged 40 and over. When there were significant effects of marital status, widowed people tended to be advantaged in amount and supportiveness of their informal ties, although the influence of marital status was affected by age and race. Contrary to some literature, gender differences in social relationships favoring women were not consistently observed. The oldest never married may have the greatest potential needs for affective and instrumental support.     

What are you thinking? Acculturation as an activating event for negative evaluative beliefs among Latinos/as

Negative evaluative beliefs and other cognitive structures have been tied to psychological distress across various populations but have not been sufficiently incorporated into acculturation models. The current study examines the relationships between acculturation and various activating events and mediating sources of support related to negative evaluative beliefs among people of Mexican descent (N = 319). Overall, model variables explained 26% of the variance in negative evaluative beliefs. Acculturation, marital commitment, and social capital associated with friends were negatively related to negative evaluative beliefs. Conversely, single relationship status, marital reward value, psychosocial stressors, and bridging social capital were positively related, and likely serve as activating events for negative evaluative beliefs. Identifying mechanisms related to psychological distress as well as supportive structures may help in constructing interventions that will address the specific needs of different groups. Future research should continue to explore appraisal and associated beliefs in acculturation models to understand why acculturative experiences may become stressful.     

Social structure and support networks in Beijing and Hong Kong

This study examines personal support networks in Beijing and Hong Kong, based on survey data collected in 2000. It was found that these two Chinese cities, which share a common Confucian cultural heritage, are similar in many aspects of social support. The supportive roles of spouse or partner are prominent and diffuse. Other close relatives are more involved in instrumental than emotional support. Non-kin primary ties specialize in emotional support. Neither extended kin support nor institutional support is significant. Nonetheless, the two cities differ in certain aspects of social support, reflecting their differences in such macro social-structural forces as economic modernization, urbanization and the social organization of work. Compared to the Hong Kong Chinese, the Beijing Chinese are more likely to seek support from close kin or coworkers, but less likely to rely on institutional help. Sources of support in both cities are also affected by the micro social-structural positions people occupy, particularly marital status and household income. It is noted that about 10% of the respondents in both cities reported “no one” to turn to for support. Among the various types of support, emotional comfort is the most difficult to find.     

Social isolation from extended family members and friends among African Americans: Findings from a national survey

This study investigated the correlates of objective social isolation from extended family members and friends among a national sample of African Americans. The analysis is based upon the African American subsample (n = 3,570) of the National Survey of American Life. The dependent variable examines four categories of respondents: 1) socially isolated from both family and friends, 2) socially isolated from friends only, 3) socially isolated from family only, and 4) not socially isolated. Overall, 23% of respondents indicated some degree of objective social isolation from family, friends or both groups, while the complementary 77% of the sample were not isolated from family or friends. Only 4% of respondents indicated being isolated from both family and friends. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed several gender, education, marital status and region differences. In particular, African American women were less likely to be socially isolated from family members than African American men. This finding was sustained even when controlling for differences in subjective isolation from family members, underscoring the protective effect of female gender. Study findings are discussed in relation to previous research on social isolation, as well as prior research on African American social support networks.     

IT'S MY WORLD?

A positive sense of control over one's life is essential for maintaining health and well-being. Those with a strong sense of control believe changes in their social world are responsive to their choices, actions, and efforts. In contrast, a sense of powerlessness or fatalism is on the other end of the continuum. There is little research that explores how race and gender relate to feelings about personal control. To examine their effects on perceptions of personal control, we analyze data from the American Changing Lives Survey, 1986. Controlling for race and gender in the full model led to results that failed to reveal the complexity of relationships when compared with results of analyses among the subgroups. Some key factors distinct for the various groups were, for white men, functional health, positive support from friends and relatives, and having people to share their feelings with; for black men, age and visiting mental health facilities; for white women, visiting medical care facilities, the number of children, tobacco, and having someone to call for help; and, for black women, being involved with organizations (groups, clubs, and churches) and religion. When there are no significant racial or gender differences, examining models simultaneously stratified by race and gender introduced a more dynamic and multidimensional relationship between the control and dependent variables than was previously understood.     

Heterosexuals' attitudes toward lesbians and gay men: Correlates and gender differences

This paper discusses the basis for differences among heterosexuals in their reactions to gay people, with special emphasis on the issue of gender differences. Three studies conducted with students at six different universities revealed a consistent tendency for heterosexual males to express more hostile attitudes than heterosexual females, especially toward gay men. The same social psychological variables appear to underlie both males’ and females’ attitudes toward both gay men and lesbians: religiosity, adherence to traditional ideologies of family and gender, perception of friends’ agreement with one's own attitudes, and past interactions with lesbians and gay men. The role of these variables in shaping attitudes is discussed and areas for future research are proposed. Construction and validation of the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) scale are also described.     

Housing Canada's Oldest-Old: Correlates of Their Residential Status

ABSTRACT

The authors examined determinants that contribute to keeping Canada's oldest-old (those 85 years and older) living in their own homes by focusing on determinants associated with living in certain types of homes. Multivariate logistic regression was done on a sample of 722 community dwellers aged 85 years and older from the 2001 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey. It was found that gender, marital status, and financial status determine residential status of the oldest-old and that high and low levels of mobility and instrumental activities of daily living foster community living. Previous findings suggest a trajectory of social exclusion (from house to apartment to facility). The current study shows the oldest old as socially stable, living in their homes. New policies to support their residential status and modifications to old policies are critical.     

Factors associated with provision of instrumental social support for physical activity in a foster parent population

PurposeTo examine demographic and psychosocial factors associated with foster parent’s provision of instrumental social support for physical activity among foster youth.MethodNinety-one foster parents completed surveys to assess perceptions of foster child physical activity (activity level, enjoyment, and coordination), five psychosocial variables from Theory of Planned Behavior (positive and negative behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, perceived behavioral control) and self-efficacy to provide instrumental social support for youth physical activity. Associations between these variables and instrumental social support were determined using multiple regression analysis.ResultsMore supportive normative beliefs and higher self-efficacy for providing instrumental social support, and length of time a foster child resided in the foster parent household were significantly associated with greater provision of instrumental social support.ConclusionAmong foster parents, the perceived social expectations about providing instrumental social support and self-efficacy to provide instrumental social support for physical activity appear to be important influences on foster parent provision of instrumental social support for youth physical activity.     

Cultural Diversity and Help-Seeking Behavior

Summary

Four hundred ninety-four parents were surveyed to determine their attitudes about parenting, help-seeking behavior, and obstacles to accessing help with parenting. Comparisons were made with regard to race/elhnicity, gender, and education to determine what attitudinal similarities and differences exist. Most parents identified family members and friends, as well as print and video materials as important sources of help. Parents were less likely to use social service agencies, teachers, doctors and clergy. The likelihood of attending parenting classes was strongly associated with gender and education. High school graduates were more likely than non-graduates to use parenting classes and mothers were more likely than fathers to use parenting classes. African American parents were less likely than other groups to use print and video materials and African American and Hispanic/Latino parents were less likely to seek help from friends.     

Firm friends: exploring the supportive components in gay men's workplace friendships

Research shows that friendships are among the most important sources of support for gay men. Despite insights into how friends can be significant providers of emotional, practical and affirmational support, particularly when gay men 'come out' or experience discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, scholars have rarely considered the role of work friends in supporting gay men in the workplace. This is remarkable given that work organisations remain challenging arenas for sexual minority employees to fashion a meaningful sense of self. Drawing on in-depth interview data with twenty-eight gay men employed in the UK, this article argues that gay men can rely on work friends for different forms of support in helping them to negotiate and sustain a viable sense of self. The findings show how the gender and sexuality of organisation influences which men and women are available as work friends, and the types of support they might give. Also, the affirmational support received from work friends is important not only for validating participants' sexual identities, but also identities of class and parenthood. The study aims to complicate stereotypes of men's workplace friendships as sources of support used largely for advancing careers and personal gain.     

The Use of Online Social Support by Foster Families

ABSTRACT

The extent to which foster families utilize social support on the Internet is examined in a sample of 34 foster families in a digital divide intervention program and a comparison sample of 30 foster families who were not part of the program. In spite of increased Internet access, the frequency of using online social support is low. A minority of parents and children increased their use of the Internet to give and receive help, communicate with other foster families and e-mail with their foster care worker. More than half of foster youth have used the Internet to stay in touch with friends and relatives and have “made a new friend” over the Internet. Implications for child welfare practice and for further research are discussed.     

American Migrants in Australia: An Exploratory Study of Adjustment

Abstract

In the literature on American migration to Australia, there is a debate concerning the ease and degree of post-migration social-psychological adjustment. In this paper a model of migrant adjustment is derived from the literature; relationships among social psychological measures of adjustment (alienation, work orientations, amicability, isolation, and missing family and friends) and socio-demographic variables are analyzed using path analysis. Results tend to support a complex view of migrant adjustment based on differences in socio-demographic characteristics. Certain modifications to existing literature are recommended, and avenues for further research are suggested.     

Explaining the Gender Gap in Help to Parents: The Importance of Employment

Although it is well established that adult daughters spend more time giving assistance to their parents than do sons, the sources of this gender gap are not well understood. This paper asks: To what extent can this gap be explained by structural variation, especially the different rates of employment and kinds of jobs that women and men tend to hold? Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 7,350), the paper shows that both employment status and job characteristics, especially wages and self‐employment, are important factors in explaining the gender gap in the help given to parents, and that these operate similarly for women and men.     

Effects of social support from various sources on depression in elderly persons

Although global measures of social support demonstrate significant effects on psychological and physical well-being, the differential significance of various support sources is largely unknown. The present study examines differences in the effects of functional expressive support by source on depressive symptoms. This approach is contrasted with network interaction studies of elderly persons, which do not measure functional support but do suggest that friends are distinctly significant. Spouse, friends, and adult children were found to rank in descending order of importance; relatives show no effect. Low support may have stronger effects than unavailability of sources. Effects of supports and stressors are not conditioned by age, sex, or widowhood. Implications of findings and further research needs are discussed.     

Marital status, social support, and health transitions in chronic disease patients

Married persons tend to be healthier, both physically and mentally, than unmarried persons. We tested the hypothesis that being married results in better physical and mental health outcomes for chronic disease patients (N = 1,817) by increasing social support. We modeled health outcomes one year later, controlling for initial health status. Cross-validation studies of two random halves of the sample supported an indirect effect of marital status on mental health through social support, but did not support a relationship, direct or indirect, of either marital status or social support with physical health outcomes. In addition, specific types of functional support were not differentially predictive of mental health status.     

Isolation as a Form of Marital Violence: The South Asian Immigrant Experience1

Isolation is an important factor in marital abuse among South Asian immigrant families. It lends itself to the invisibility immigrant women experience based on their ethno-gender status in the United States. Drawnfrom unstructured interviews with abused South Asian immigrant women, three different levels of isolation are explained. The first level involves the quality of a woman’s relationship with her spouse; the second is related to thefrequency and quality of social interaction with friends, relatives, and coworkers; and the third is explained in terms of the level of access to and participation in the ethnic community and other formal institutions.     

Divorced Mothers

Employed divorced mothers (381) were surveyed on sources of support available to them in managing family responsibilities, with emphasis on managing conflicts between employment and child care responsibilities. A particular focus was the noncustodial parent's contribution. Although the divorced mothers perceived they had sources of help available, notably the child's father, friends, and relatives in the community, they did not perceive that these sources offered much help in managing family responsibilities. The mothers tended to manage the employment-child care conflicts themselves. It is not clear if this was the preferred option or if the other sources, due to similar employment commitments, could not provide help.     

Isolation as a Form of Marital Violence: The South Asian Immigrant Experience

Isolation is an important factor in marital abuse among South Asian immigrant families. It lends itself to the invisibility immigrant women experience based on their ethno-gender status in the United States. Drawn from unstructured interviews with abused South Asian immigrant women, three different levels of isolation are explained. The first level involves the quality of a woman's relationship with her spouse; the second is related to the frequency and quality of social interaction with friends, relatives, and coworkers; and the third is explained in terms of the level of access to and participation in the ethnic community and other formal institutions.     

Work satisfaction in a rapidly feminized profession: assessing the intersection of gender,parenting and support resources among veterinary doctors

Abstract

Women typically hold jobs in which they experience less pay and less favorable working conditions than men in comparable positions. Despite these differences, women report similar or even higher levels of work satisfaction. Most studies explaining work satisfaction and gender focus on workplace rewards as potential explanatory variables. Little is known about the relevance of support resources from the family domain in relation to women’s and men’s work satisfaction. Finally, the relevance of support resources has not been studied in high-status professions where women have quickly become more highly represented numerically. Using quantitative survey data from a sample of married veterinary doctors (N?=?311), we explore the influence of work and family-based support resources. Specifically, we examine the relationship between work satisfaction and three sources of support: coworkers, family, and spouses. We also explore whether parental status has moderating effects for women and men with these resources in association with work satisfaction. We find that mothers are more satisfied than fathers. Parenthood and supportive family engagement are strong predictors of women’s work satisfaction. Coworker support is a salient predictor of work satisfaction for all, especially for men who are fathers. Implications for men and women working in high-status professions are discussed.