Psychology Commons^™

Hurricane-Exposed Youth And Psychological Distress: An Examination Of The Role Of Social Support, Donice M. Banks

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane exposure places youth at risk for psychological distress such as symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, while social support may contribute to resilience following disasters. This study examined associations among family and peer social support, level of hurricane exposure, and psychological distress using both a large single-time assessment sample (N = 1098) and a longitudinal sample followed over a six-month period (n = 192). Higher levels of hurricane exposure were related to lower levels of social support from family and peers as well as to higher levels of psychological distress. Higher levels of family …

The Effect Of Maternal Borderline Personality Disorder And Social Support On Patterns Of Emotional Availability In Mother-Child Interactions, Rebecca Devan Trupe

Doctoral Dissertations

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) experience severe and pervasive disturbances in the development of attachment relationships, identity, and emotion regulation. Given these deficits, there is an important need to understand the unique challenges mothers diagnosed with BPD are likely to face in parenting their children, as well as identify contextual variables that might be associated with maternal functioning and parenting outcomes. The current study used a low socioeconomic sample of children aged 4-7 of mothers with BPD, and a comparison group of children of mothers without BPD, to examine associations between maternal BPD, maternal borderline features, social support, and …

Social Support And New Communication Technologies During A Life Stressor, Heather Attig

Faculty Scholarship – Communication

Social support, whether emotional, informational, or tangible, is an innate need and is important to our well-being and our personal relationships. While face-to-face communication has been considered the “gold standard” to relational maintenance, we are also using communication technology to maintain our personal relationships and mobilize our social support networks. Technological advances in communication channels have provided new avenues to social interaction and social support.

The purpose of this study was to explore the social support process across new communication technologies. Specifically, I examined how multiple modes of communication (including face-to-face) were used to seek and receive social support to/from …

The Diabetes Partner Support Questionnaire: Psychometric Scale Development, Katie Cassandra Wischkaemper

Masters Theses

This study examines the effects of social support, specifically from intimate, committed partners, for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Integrating social learning theory and health, this study aims to develop a measure of the frequency of diabetes-specific supportive behaviors and the perceived quality of those behaviors as perceived by patients with diabetes (Bandura, 1977). Developing a psychometrically sound instrument will assist future research examining intimate relationships and diabetes-related health outcomes. The Diabetes Partner Support Questionnaire (DPSQ), contains modified items from a scale measuring parental support for children with type 1 diabetes (La Greca & Bearman, 2002). The present study involved …

An Empirical Examination Of The Associations Among Crystal Methamphetamine Use History, Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Severity, And Perceived Social Support, Courtney Elaine Dutton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social support functions as a protective factor against the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Crystal methamphetamine use, however, is associated with a decrease in Social functioning. This is noteworthy as people with PTSD endorse elevated rates of crystal methamphetamine use. The current study proposed to look at perceived Social support as it relates to crystal methamphetamine use among individuals endorsing a wide range of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Questionnaires measuring perceived Social support and posttraumatic stress symptom severity were administered to 98 traumatic event-exposed adults (M_age = 48.5, SD =7.74) recruited from the San Francisco bay area who …

The Effects Of Coping, Self-Esteem, And Social Support On Stress And Wellbeing, Emily Meyerhoffer-Kubalik

Master's Theses

The present study aimed to add to the literature on the internal and external factors that may buffer the negative effects of stress. Specifically, the present study examined the effects of coping styles, self-esteem, and social support on both psychological wellbeing and stress. Participants (N = 198) were administered a measure of coping styles (COPE), self-esteem (Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale), social support (SSQ-R), psychological wellbeing (MHI), and stress (ICSRLE). Results showed problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping were associated with better psychological wellbeing and lower stress. Avoidant coping was associated with lower psychological wellbeing and higher stress. Self-esteem was also related to …

Cognitive, Affective And Social Processes Involved In Help-Negation After Critical Suicidal Thoughts, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Help-negation is defined as the process of help withdrawal or avoidance found among those currently experiencing clinical and subclinical levels of different forms of psychological distress, including low and critical levels of suicidal ideation (Wilson, Bushnell, Caputi, 2011). Understanding the determinants of help-negation in suicidal samples that have not yet come to treatment provides a potent opportunity to target prevention and early intervention strategies to facilitate appropriate and timely help-seeking. Over 20 help-negation studies have ruled out variables that might explain the withdrawal process associated with suicidal thoughts. These results now point to biological and neurological underpinnings working together with …

Preventing Help-Negation For Suicidal Ideation: Implications For Social Network Size And Frequency Of Social Interaction, Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Help-negation is seen when the severity of an individual’s suicidal ideation increases and they become less likely to seek help as a result of their condition. Research has implicated distorted affect regulation and perceptual processes related to social support in the development of help-negation among suicidal individuals (Wilson et al., 2013). Future research needs to focus on psycho-social factors that can be linked to neurological processes that differentiate suicidal individuals from controls and are directly implicated in the help-negation processes associated with suicidal ideation. As suicidal individuals have interpersonal needs rejected they may cease to seek or accept help. The …

Facebooking For Social Support: An Experimental Test Of Relational Regulation Theory, Odessia Knowles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Transitioning to college can be difficult. While some individuals choose to attend a college that is local to their home, others move away from their family and friends to
attend their college of choice. This move adds additional stress to the already stressful nature of attending college. Research suggests that having social support can help with this additional stressor. However, individuals who move away from their family and friends may have difficulty receiving social support in their new, unfamiliar environment.

Facebook is a well-known, widely used form of social media with a significant number of users worldwide. College students spend …

Social Relations, Health Behaviors, And Health Outcomes: A Survey And Synthesis, Louis Tay, Kenneth Tan, Ed Diener, Elizabeth Gonzalez

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The primary goal of this paper is to summarise current evidence on social relations and health, specifically how social integration and social support are related to health behaviors and health outcomes, using results from published reviews. Our analysis revealed that social relations are beneficial for health behaviors such as chronic illness self-management and decreased suicidal tendency. The salutary effects of general measures of social relations (e.g. being validated, being cared for, etc.) on health behaviors (e.g. healthy diet, physical activity, smoking, alcohol abuse) are weaker, but specific measures of social relations targeting corresponding health behaviors are more predictive. There is …

Relationship Among Schizoid And Schizotypal Personality Traits And Social Support On Ptsd Symptom Severity, Wilfred Joseph Mccloskey

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common disorder in the general population with a lifetime prevalence of 7.8% (females 10.4%; males 5.0%; Kessler et al, 1995). PTSD can become debilitating and can significantly affect an individual’s social and occupational functioning. Consequently, it is essential to better understand the factors associated with development and maintenance of PTSD. Research has documented the benefits of social support in the prevention and treatment of PTSD. However, it is unclear whether other variables moderate the effectiveness and desirability of social support. Currently, the empirical literature examining the role of potential moderators of social support (e.g. …

Functional Impairment, Illness Burden, And Depressive Symptoms In Older Adults: Does Type Of Social Relationship Matter?, Joshua P. Hatfield, Jameson K. Hirsch, Jeffrey M. Lyness

ETSU Faculty Works

Objective: The nature of interpersonal relationships, whether supportive or critical, may affect the association between health status and mental health outcomes. We examined the potential moderating effects of social support, as a buffer, and family criticism, as an exacerbating factor, on the association between illness burden, functional impairment and depressive symptoms.

Methods: Our sample of 735 older adults, 65 years and older, was recruited from internal and family medicine primary care offices. Trained interviewers administered the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Duke Social Support Inventory, and Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale. Physician-rated assessments of health, including the Karnofsky Performance …

Patient Interpersonal And Cognitive Changes In Relation To Outcome In Interpersonal Psychotherapy For Depression, Samantha L. Bernecker

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Despite evidence for the efficacy of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for depression, there remains little understanding of its specific change-promoting ingredients. This study aimed to establish candidate change mechanisms by identifying whether patients’ interpersonal (theory-specific) and cognitive (theory-nonspecific) characteristics change in an adaptive direction during IPT, and whether such changes differentially relate to depression reduction and improvement in global functioning. The four interpersonal variables and one cognitive variable measured all changed significantly in an adaptive direction, with medium to large effect sizes. Reduced interpersonal problems were marginally associated with self-reported depression reduction (β = 2.846, p = .062), and greater …

Community Violence, Ethnicity, Psychological Distress, And Externalizing Behaviors In Emerging Adulthood: The Moderating Effects Of Social Support, Holly Hannah Reid

Wayne State University Theses

Using hierarchical multiple regression, overall social support was found to moderate the relationship between exposure to community violence and psychological distress for European American and African-American at-risk emerging adults. For both ethnic groups, neither ISEL total nor SNI helping social support moderated the relation between community violence and the outcomes of substance abuse and conduct disorder/deviant behaviors. Ethnicity moderated the relationship between exposure to community violence and substance abuse behaviors within an SNI helping support regression, such that European Americans who reported greater violence exposure reported more substance abuse symptoms. SNI helping support moderated the relationship between exposure to community …

Community Violence Exposure Among Underprivileged Adolescents : What Are The Buffering Effects Of Family Qualities On Negative Outcomes?, Katherine Marie Harrison

LSU Master's Theses

Crime and violence are common in impoverished neighborhoods. Consequently, many youth are at risk for victimization and witnessing violent acts. Extensive research has established the presence of significant associations between violence exposure and aggression and posttraumatic stress symptoms among youth. Research has confirmed the protective role of several family characteristics against these negative outcomes despite adversity. However, the literature investigating the buffering effects of family in the relationship between community violence exposure and aggressive behavior and posttraumatic stress symptoms is limited. The current study examined the moderating effect of family factors such as household structure, social support, and parenting techniques …

Child Maltreatment Severity And Adult Trauma Symptoms: Does Perceived Social Support Play A Buffering Role?, Sarah E. Evans, Anne L. Steel, David Dilillo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: The current study investigates the moderating effect of perceived social support on asso-ciations between child maltreatment severity and adult trauma symptoms. We extend the existing literature by examining the roles of severity of multiple maltreatment types (i.e., sexual, physical, and emotional abuse; physical and emotional neglect) and gender in this process. Methods: The sam-ple included 372 newlywed individuals recruited from marriage license records. Participants com-pleted a number of self-report questionnaires measuring the nature and severity of child maltreat-ment history, perceived social support from friends and family, and trauma-related symptoms. These questionnaires were part of a larger study that investigated …

The Relationship Between Gratitude And Psychological, Social, And Academic Functioning In Middle Adolescence, Michelle Denise Hasemeyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Guided by positive psychology and broaden-and-build theoretical frameworks, this study utilized a correlational research design to explore the relationships between gratitude and adolescents' psychological, social, and academic well-being in a diverse sample of 499 high school students. Results of multiple regression analyses that controlled for potential effects of student demographic features on outcomes showed that higher levels of gratitude predicted more life satisfaction (β=.63, sr2=.40) , less internalizing symptoms (β= -.44, sr2= .19), more social support from parents (β=.50, sr2=.25), teachers (β=.28, sr2=.08), and peers (β=.34, sr2=.12), higher grades (β=.12, sr2=.014), and better academic self-perceptions (β=.30, sr2=.09). These relationships were …

Organization Benefits - The Panacea For All That Ails You? A Dyadic, Dual-Earner Investigation Of Organization-Offered Benefits And Their Effect On Individuals And Their Partners, Suzanne Marie Booth-Ledoux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In an effort to attract and retain top talent, organizations often offer and implement various organization benefits. The focus of this dissertation is on the outcomes of those offered organization benefits on employees and their partners. Three types of organization benefits were assessed: family-friendly benefits, financial and compensation benefits, and health care and wellness benefits. Additionally, the connection between the offering of these benefits with family-supportive organization perceptions was also examined. Family-supportive organization perceptions was shown to directly and indirectly link to individual-level outcomes including work-to-family conflict and psychological wellbeing. Moreover, because individuals do not exist in a vacuum (i.e., …

The Association Of Psychosocial Factors On Hiv/Aids Disease Progression, Melissa Margolis

Scripps Senior Theses

Despite a rise in the number of studies looking at the relationship of psychosocial factors (coping style, personality type, and social support) on HIV/AIDS severity, there remains a lack of conclusive answers about the specific association between these factors. This study used a meta-analytic method of analysis to address these issues in the post anti-retroviral treatment modality world. A systematic search of major psychology and medical computerized databases led to 110 studies used in the meta-analysis. Social support was found to have the strongest relationship with HIV progression. Structural social support had greater protective effect on HIV progression than functional …

The Effect Of Environmental And Psychological Coping Resources On Unemployed Adults' Well-Being, Robert Paul Carnicella

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Gowan and Gatewood's (1997) theory of coping with job loss provided a framework for studying how individuals cope with the stress of unemployment. Previous empirical evidence identified social support and financial resources as predictors of unemployed adults' coping outcomes. McKee-Ryan, Song, Wanberg, and Kinicki (2005), however, noted the need for further research to better understand the environmental and psychological coping resources used by unemployed adults. Savickas (2005) hypothesized that individuals who endorse greater amounts of adaptable thinking about their careers will also report a greater sense of well-being during career transitions. Thus, the present study examined how environmental and psychological …

Placental Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Mediates The Association Between Prenatal Social Support And Postpartum Depression, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Chander Arora, Calvin J. Hobel

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Three decades of research point to both biological and psychological risk factors for postpartum depression, but very little research integrates the two. This study bridged this gap by testing whether prenatal social support predicted depressive symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum in a multiethnic sample of 210 women and whether the stress hormone placental corticotropinreleasing hormone (pCRH), measured at 19, 29, and 37 weeks’ gestation, mediated this relationship. We found that prenatal family support predicted significantly fewer depressive symptoms postpartum and more gradual increases in pCRH from 29 to 37 weeks’ gestation. Furthermore, steeper increases in pCRH during this same period …

Experiences Of African Refugees Who Transition To University : A Question Of Resilience, Mark Webb

Theses : Honours

First year transition to university for students’ is associated with significant adjustment to tertiary education practices and environment. Universities are frequently considering ways to support and improve this transition for students inclusive of mainstream and equity target groups. African refugees are one equity group that prioritises education and are concurrently experiencing pre-migration trauma and acculturation stress. However we know little about their experiences of support in transition to university. The aim of this present study was to explore the meanings ascribed by African refugees to their experiences of social support in transitioning to university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on a …

Respite Care, Marital Quality, And Stress In Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Amber Harper, Tina Taylor, James Harper, Susanne Olsen Roper, Mikle South

Faculty Publications

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at risk for having higher stress and lower marital quality than other parents. Survey data regarding respite care, marital quality, and daily hassles and uplifts were obtained from 101 mother-father dyads who were together raising at least one child with ASD (total # of children = 118). Number of hours of respite care was positively related to improved marital quality for both husbands and wives, such that a one-hour increase in weekly respite care was associated with a one-half standard deviation increase in marital quality. This relationship was significantly mediated by …