Perceived Social Support for Relationships as a Predictor of Mental and Physical Health in Same-sex and Other-sex Relationships PDF Download

Author: Karen Lyndsay Blair
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The current study examined a hypothesized model, which postulated that perceived social support 'specifically' for a relationship would predict relationship well-being and, in turn, also predict mental and physical health outcomes for the individuals within the relationship. Furthermore, the current study sought to test this model on both heterosexual and non-heterosexual participants. The study was conducted over the internet with a large international sample of individuals in same-sex (N= 183) and other-sex (N = 275) relationships. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the fit of the hypothesized model, and indicated that the model did in fact fit the data very well. The study found no differences in model fit between heterosexual and non-heterosexual participants, emphasizing that social support for relationships is equally important, regardless of sexual orientation.

Author: Karen Lyndsay Blair
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 484

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Book Description
Intimate relationships function not in isolation, but within a broader social network and social environment, in which the opinions and actions of close network members can play a role in how a relationship develops. The current study investigated how perceiving support for one's relationship (including same-sex and mixed-sex relationships) from friends and family is associated with not only relationship well-being, but also the mental and physical health of the individuals within the relationship. After establishing that social support specifically for a relationship was indeed a separate and unique construct as compared to more general social support for an individual, the study tested a hypothesized model using structural equation modeling, finding evidence for a model in which the association between support for a relationship and the health outcomes for an individual is fully mediated by relationship well-being. Relationship type (i.e., same-sex versus mixed-sex) was not a significant moderator, indicating that regardless of relationship type, individuals who perceive more support for their relationship are also more likely to report greater relationship satisfaction and better mental and physical health. Furthermore, participants provided data up to three times over a period of three years, allowing for an examination of how social support for a relationship functions as a predictor of relationship well-being and health outcomes over time. Perceived social support for a relationship at Time 1 was found to be a significant predictor of the rate of relationship dissolution over the course of the study as well as relational and health outcomes at later points in time. With respect to the source of support for the relationship, evidence was found that support from parents and friends both have associations with relationship outcomes, but these findings were inconsistent across analyses with support from parents having stronger associations in some analyses and support from friends having stronger associations in others. Reasons for these discrepancies are discussed, as well as theoretical implications concerning the role that perceived social support for relationships plays in the prediction of relationship well-being and mental and physical health.

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309680816
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 437

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Book Description
The increase in prevalence and visibility of sexually gender diverse (SGD) populations illuminates the need for greater understanding of the ways in which current laws, systems, and programs affect their well-being. Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender, non-binary, queer, or intersex, as well as those who express same-sex or -gender attractions or behaviors, will have experiences across their life course that differ from those of cisgender and heterosexual individuals. Characteristics such as age, race and ethnicity, and geographic location intersect to play a distinct role in the challenges and opportunities SGD people face. Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations reviews the available evidence and identifies future research needs related to the well-being of SDG populations across the life course. This report focuses on eight domains of well-being; the effects of various laws and the legal system on SGD populations; the effects of various public policies and structural stigma; community and civic engagement; families and social relationships; education, including school climate and level of attainment; economic experiences (e.g., employment, compensation, and housing); physical and mental health; and health care access and gender-affirming interventions. The recommendations of Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations aim to identify opportunities to advance understanding of how individuals experience sexuality and gender and how sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status affect SGD people over the life course.

Author: Chelsea Hudson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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The current research tested a moderated mediational model, which examined whether perceived social support for sharing relational affection predicted mental well-being via physical affection sharing (in private and public) and/or relational well-being, for individuals in same-sex, mixed-sex, and gender diverse relationships. 1850 participants completed an online survey. A series of regression analyses were conducted using Hayes' PROCESS macro. Results revealed theoretical justification for the proposed model and support for most of the hypotheses. Specifically, perceived social support for sharing relational affection was identified as a predictor of affection sharing practices. The results highlighted associations between context and physical affection sharing, as well as between perceived support, affectionate touch, and relational and mental well-being. The findings revealed that individuals in marginalized relationships tended to perceive less support for sharing relational affection, but all groups experienced comparable relationship processes overall. Potential explanations and implications of the present research are discussed.

Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309210615
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 293

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Book Description
At a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals-often referred to under the umbrella acronym LGBT-are becoming more visible in society and more socially acknowledged, clinicians and researchers are faced with incomplete information about their health status. While LGBT populations often are combined as a single entity for research and advocacy purposes, each is a distinct population group with its own specific health needs. Furthermore, the experiences of LGBT individuals are not uniform and are shaped by factors of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographical location, and age, any of which can have an effect on health-related concerns and needs. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People assesses the state of science on the health status of LGBT populations, identifies research gaps and opportunities, and outlines a research agenda for the National Institute of Health. The report examines the health status of these populations in three life stages: childhood and adolescence, early/middle adulthood, and later adulthood. At each life stage, the committee studied mental health, physical health, risks and protective factors, health services, and contextual influences. To advance understanding of the health needs of all LGBT individuals, the report finds that researchers need more data about the demographics of these populations, improved methods for collecting and analyzing data, and an increased participation of sexual and gender minorities in research. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People is a valuable resource for policymakers, federal agencies including the National Institute of Health (NIH), LGBT advocacy groups, clinicians, and service providers.

Author: Carol S. Aneshensel
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387362231
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 627

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Book Description
This handbook describes ways in which society shapes the mental health of its members, and shapes the lives of those who have been identified as mentally ill. The text explores the social conditions that lead to behaviors defined as mental illness, and the ways in which the concept of mental illness is socially constructed around those behaviors. The book also reviews research that examines socially conditioned responses to mental illness on the part of individuals and institutions, and ways in which these responses affect persons with mental illness. It evaluates where the field has been, identifies its current location and plots a course for the future.

Author: I.G. Sarason
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400951159
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 518

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Book Description
"No one is rich enough to do without a neighbor." Traditional Danish Proverb This bit of Danish folk wisdom expresses an idea underlying much of the current thinking about social support. While the clinical literature has for a long time recognized the deleterious effects of unwholesome social relationships, only more recently has the focus broadened to include the positive side of social interaction, those interpersonal ties that are desired, rewarding, and protective. This book contains theoretical and research contributions by a group of scholars who are charting this side of the social spectrum. Evidence is increasing that maladaptive ways of thinking and behaving occur disproportionately among people with few social supports. Rather than sapping self-reliance, strong ties with others particularly family members seem to encourage it. Reliance on others and self-reliance are not only compatible but complementary to one another. While the mechanism by which an intimate relationship is protective has yet to be worked out, the following factors seem to be involved: intimacy, social integration through shared concerns, reassurance of worth, the opportunity to be nurtured by others, a sense of reliable alliance, and guidance. The major advance that is taking place in the literature on social support is that reliance is being -placed less on anecdotal and clinical evidence and more on empirical inquiry. The chapters of this book reflect this important development and identify the frontiers that are currently being explored.

Author: Gerald P. Mallon
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317381432
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 532

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Book Description
Although the vast majority of LGBT persons are healthy, resilient, and hardy individuals who do not seek social work intervention, some have been or will be clients in social work agencies. The third edition of Social Work Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People updates this classic text and expands its scope to include new content on social work with older and younger LGBT people. Written by a team of highly experienced experts, this book provides a knowledge base for practice that will better prepare students and practitioners for working sensitively, competently, and effectively with LGBT individuals and groups. Comprehensive and practical, this unique text discusses the pragmatic aspects of social work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. It will improve and reinforce competent practice with LGBT persons and their families in multiple settings. Chapters focus on important topics such as: the profession’s core values and ethical principles; social work and queer theory; LGBT and race—heterosexism, racism, and sexism; applying the life model and the stress-coping process; practice with bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming persons; relationship building between lesbian partners; the impact of creating family for lesbian couples; internalized homophobia, heterocentrism, and gay identity; group work practice with the LGBTQ community; clinical assessment for families where sexual orientation is an issue; and LGBT parenting. There are also new chapters on social work with LGBT young people and LGBT older people. Complete with a highly detailed appendix of symbols, definitions, and terms, Social Work Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People, third edition is an invaluable resource for social workers and mental health professionals as well as for students and educators at all levels of experience.

Author: Aaron Hoy
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000523659
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 276

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Book Description
Showcasing research from across the social sciences, this edited volume seeks to provide readers with an empirically grounded sense of how many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people marry in the US and Canada, what their marriages look like, and how LGBT people themselves are impacted by marriage and marriage equality. Prior to marriage equality, lawmakers and activists across the political spectrum debated whether same-sex couples should have the legal right to marry, and likewise, academic research to date has focused mostly on the politics of same-sex marriage. However, this edited volume focuses on LGBT people themselves and their intimate relationships in the era of marriage equality. Including both quantitative and qualitative social science research, it features 14 primary chapters that examine a diverse set of topics, including demographic patterns in same-sex marriage and cohabitation, marital aspirations and motivations among LGBT people, arrangements and dynamics within same-sex relationships, and the legal benefits and informal privileges associated with marriage. The edited volume will be of interest to scholars across a wide range of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, child and family studies, communications, social work, and economics, while also offering valuable information for laypeople generally interested in families and/or LGBT studies.

Author: Steve Duck
Publisher: Sage Publications (CA)
ISBN:
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 280

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Book Description
It is widely acknowledged that the support given by friends, intimates andother members of a social network is important to a person's well-being. Until recently, however, little attention has been paid to the relational processes and contexts through which social support is mediated. Personal Relationships and Social Support represents a major initiative in its focus upon social support as a phenomenon embedded in the everyday transactions and dynamics of people's interpersonal relationships. The authors consider such issues as the importance of the day-to-day talk' of social support within interpersonal relationships, the strategies that people use to mobilize support within particular relational contexts and the impact of people's daily life and work patterns on the need for, and ability to mobilize, support. The effect, in turn, of competence in support giving on the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships is examined as are the possible negative consequences of particular kinds of support. Personal Relationships and Social Support brings together for the first time two strands of work, on social support and the nature of interpersonal relationships, which have tended to develop in isolation from each other. This path-breaking book will be essential reading for all those interested in new developments in theory and research in the field of human relationships.