This study examines the extent to which locus of control and social support are linked to self-efficacy with regard to disease management in HIV-positive adults. Perceived ability to effectively manage illness was measured with the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease Scale. Scores from the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale were used as predictors. The gender-balanced sample (N = 69) of HIV+ adults was primarily African-American (65.3%) and European American (30.5%), with a mean age of 47 years (SD = 8.37). Correlational analyses suggested significant positive relationships between self-efficacy, social support, and locus of control due to powerful others. A regression analysis found that the model accounted for 23% of the variance in self-efficacy (adj. R-squared =.23, F (5, 63) = 4.81, p < .01), with social support (&#946; = .37, t = 3.28, p < .01) and locus of control (&#946; = .25, t = 2.26, p < .05) both significant predictors. Results suggest that social support and locus of control contribute to the belief that HIV can be managed. Interestingly, an external locus of control contributed to this belief, perhaps due to the perception of a physician, religious icon, or partner as a "powerful other." Results suggest that a strong supportive relationship with a trusted other along with enhanced social support typically associated with group-based interventions may improve health outcomes by increasing self-efficacy in disease management in HIV-positive adults.

Background: : Few investigators have evaluated the association between early pregnancy social support and depression; however, increased social support may improve mental health during pregnancy. Our objective is to examine whether in early pregnancy there is an association between social support and maternal depression among women in Peru. Methods: : 2,062 pregnant women participated in structured interviews. Early pregnancy social support was measured using the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ-6). We evaluated the number of individuals that participants could turn to in different situations (Social Support Number Score; SSQN) and their satisfaction with support received (Social Support Satisfaction Score; SSQS). Median SSQN and SSQS characterized participants according to high and low levels of support. SSQN family vs. non-family support were also evaluated separately. Antepartum depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Multivariable logistic regression procedures were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: : 39.6% of women reported high SSQN and 45.5% reported high SSQS. Approximately 25% had antepartum depression. Women with high SSQN had 22% lower odds of antepartum depression (OR = 0.78; 95%CI: 0.63–0.97). Similarly, women with high SSQS scores had 45% lower odds of antepartum depression (OR = 0.55; 95%CI: 0.45–0.68). Women with high SSQN non-family scores had 30% lower odds antepartum depression compared to those with low SSQN non-family scores (OR = 0.70; 95%CI: 0.57–0.86). The association between SSQN family scores and antepartum depression did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: : Increased social support may improve maternal mental health during pregnancy and this association should be assessed in longitudinal studies. / This research was supported by awards from the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ), National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities ( T37-MD-001449 ) and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development ( R01-HD-059835 ). The NIH had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication. / Revisión por pares

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A considerable amount of research focuses on the detrimental influence that relationships pose for women offenders while relatively little attention has been given to the potential positive impact of relationships in their lives. This study investigates how women offenders' positive relationships work as 'buffers' against their criminal involvement, as well as why some positive influences do not elicit long-term change in women. We examine various forms of relationships (both romantic and non-romantic) that female offenders develop and explore the mechanisms by which these relationships might influence their behavior. Life history interviews conducted with 60 incarcerated women revealed that women's family members, friends, significant others, and children provided support, social capital, motivation, and opportunities which can buffer women from criminal behavior, but that women's drug use, disadvantage, interest in, pride or shame, and desire to make positive changes limited the effectiveness of these relationships.

A considerable amount of research focuses on the detrimental influence that relationships pose for women offenders while relatively little attention has been given to the potential positive impact of relationships in their lives. This study investigates how women offenders' positive relationships work as 'buffers' against their criminal involvement, as well as why some positive influences do not elicit long-term change in women. We examine various forms of relationships (both romantic and non-romantic) that female offenders develop and explore the mechanisms by which these relationships might influence their behavior. Life history interviews conducted with 60 incarcerated women revealed that women's family members, friends, significant others, and children provided support, social capital, motivation, and opportunities which can buffer women from criminal behavior, but that women's drug use, disadvantage, interest in, pride or shame, and desire to make positive changes limited the effectiveness of these relationships.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / In this study, I explore recidivism, an ‘uncontrollable phenomenon’ in South Africa, within the context of rising crime and repeat offenders. Research has shown that the political economy of South Africa, inequality, persistent poverty within previously marginalised communities, high school drop-out rates among other factors, creates a breeding ground for criminal activity amongst adolescents, resulting in high convictions and prison sentences in the Western Cape. It is within this context that this study investigated recidivism and reasons for recurring trends, where first time offenders are more likely to return to prison after being released. Specifically, the study investigates why young men from Hanover Park are more likely to be repeat offenders and continuously incarcerated.

In Canada, the natural birth rate is declining in part because of delayed childbirth (Canada 2016). As a result of their decision to postpone parenthood and their increasing age, more couples are turning to assisted reproductive treatment (ART) including in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive. The risk of IVF failure, the detrimental mental health outcomes (i.e. depression) associated with infertility, and the strain on physical, financial, spiritual, and emotional resources contribute to heightened stress for IVF patients, and compel them to identify and leverage psychosocial supports. Since the quality of social support individuals receive depends on the nature of communication they share with the receiver, it is important to consider how disclosure builds social support. Common social support channels such as spouses, family, friends, counsellors, and support groups and their associated communication patterns have already been explored in the fertility literature whereas processes integral to peer relationships, a support that women have signaled as promising, remain uncovered. It remains important to understand the nature of peer relationships in the context of infertility. This dissertation explores how in-vitro fertilization (IVF) users approached their decision to disclose to a peer and carried out their communication. Guided by the Disclosure-Decision Making Model (DD-MM) it starts by showing how IVF patients assess their support needs, and peers as recipients before communication takes place. It then delineates how these women execute their communication with specific focus on the modalities of their process and the scope of the disclosures of fertility-related and non-fertility related information between them. A sample population of 23 first-time and recurring IVF patients were interviewed. Results show that prior to disclosing to a peer, women reflect on information about their condition and their personal support needs on the basis of the adequacy of their social circles and perceptions of stigma, the benefits and drawbacks of secrecy versus transparency, and their personal motivation to leverage peer support. They also assess their peers, considering diverse pathways of connection as well as desirable peer traits which include IVF experience, other common ground and transparency. Relating to their communication, patients showed a distinct capacity to communicate with their peers and meet their support needs. The IVF patient-peer communication process is characterized through immediate disclosure transitions and backwards introductions, a solid mutual understanding when it comes to engagement and disengagement boundaries, a preference for digital communication via texting and instant messaging, and the coverage of a broad range of fertility topics in reciprocal conversations. The findings also show however that the majority of women choose to distance themselves and limit their conversations during the post embryo transfer waiting period and refrain from discussing pregnancy testing as a form of self- preservation. IVF patients share a natural relationship with peers. This dissertation points to opportunities to facilitate patient-peer relationships and enhance the fertility-care experience overall by embracing: the transparency of patients, better coping resources for men, safe places to personally connect in clinic and support group settings, and roles for all IVF patients in social support regardless of their outcome. It also suggests that patient-peer support is a pragmatic and flexible support channel that when managed properly can respond to patients’ personal disclosure and communication needs and preferences.

The impact of parental depressive problems on children’s depressive symptoms has been widely studied. The Stress Buffering Hypothesis states that social support acts as a protective factor between the impacts of stress from negative life events on physical and psychological health. The current study examined the stress buffering hypothesis in terms of the relationship between parental depressive problems and emerging adult depressive problems. The differential buffering strength of both perceived social support and received social support between stress from negative life events and depressive problems were examined along with the moderating effects of parent and emerging adult gender. Neither perceived nor received social support significantly moderated the aforementioned relationship. When parental depressive problems were added to the model, the three-way interaction between received social support, perceived stress, and paternal depressive problems, on male depressive problems was significant. Other significant pathways and models were discussed.

With the growing popularity in video games, there has been increased concerns over the prolonged exposure to the entertainment medium. Problematic gaming is defined as a pattern of gaming behavior that causes significant impairment in personal, social, other important areas of functioning, often characterized by preoccupation and loss of interest in other areas. This study examined how problematic gaming behaviors may be influenced by insecure adult attachment and perceived social support from differing sources. It was hypothesized that avoidant attachment would have a significant direct and indirect effect (via perceived social support) on problematic gaming. In addition, perceived social support from online friends and from offline friends were hypothesized to moderate the relationship between attachment and problematic gaming, Participants were recruited from both SONA (n = 151) and Amazon's Mturk (n = 264) to complete an online research questionnaire that measured variables of interest. Results indicated that the direct and indirect effects of attachment avoidance on problematic gaming were supported in both subsamples but the moderator effects were not. Further exploratory analysis found that anxious attachment demonstrated a similar pattern as avoidant attachment, but with a significant moderator effect of perceived social support from online friends (enhance) on the attachment anxiety and problematic gaming relation. Additionally, anhedonia and depressive symptoms were found to be significantly correlated with problematic gaming. Limitations, future research directions, and clinical implications are discussed.

There is a separation between interpersonal political communication research and traditional interpersonal communication theory. The current study bridges this divide by introducing social support theory to political communication. Social support has been shown to aid coping, build self-efficacy, and enhance psychological well-being. It is argued that politics can be a source of stress and individuals exchange political social support (PSS) when facing challenges in their political environments. The current study defines the concept of PSS and its applications in political communication through an initial survey-based proof of concept study and an experiment. The first study, a nationwide cross-sectional survey (N = 2004), was conducted through a Qualtrics panel in September 2018 to assess the internal structure of providing and receiving PSS in citizen-to-citizen relationships. A little more than a quarter of the sample (n = 563, 28.1%) reported having received some type of PSS in the past 18 months, and an even larger percentage (n = 728, 36.3%) reported providing PSS during the same time period. Results from a cross-sectional survey reveal a solid percentage of U.S. adults exchanging PSS across many channels (e.g., face-to-face, social media) with a wide range of political phenomena sparking these communicative activities. Building on the survey’s gender and political-specific communicative dynamics, the second study, an online experiment, was conducted in October 2021. In the online experiment, a 2 (politician’s gender: male vs. female) x 2 (politician’s party identification: Democrat vs. Republican) x 4 (message levels) x 2 (citizen’s gender: Male vs. female) x 2 (citizen’s party identification: Democrat vs. Republican) between-subject design, provides a theoretical rationale on how the gender and the political identification in citizen-to-politician relationships are associated with the level of perceived social support. Results from the experiment reveal that the level of social support messages that include different numbers of social support components does not have an effect on the level of perceived PSS. However, the characteristics of politicians and the gender of politicians and citizens were significant in predicting the higher PSS. Theoretical and practical implications for the theory advancement and future research are explored. / Media & Communication