Emotional abuse in childhood is linked to an increased risk for internalizing symptoms such as depression and anxiety in adulthood. Religious social support offers a promising defense in maintaining mental well-being in the face of trauma. This study aims to investigate if religious social support in childhood will moderate the impact of negative outcomes associated with emotional abuse. Further, this study will examine whether and how gender and ethnicity impact this relationship. The sample includes undergraduate students attending East Tennessee State University, located in the southeastern United States (n = 471, 73% female, 11% African American, M age = 20.37, SD = 4.84). Participants completed an online survey that asked about childhood experiences (e.g., emotional abuse, emotion socialization, religious social support) as well as current mental health (e.g., anxiety, depression). Data was analyzed using Statistical Software for the Social Sciences. Bivariate relations were examined through Pearson’s correlations and moderated moderation was tested via the Hayes Process Macro (version 3.0, Model 3). Results indicated that religious social support from childhood was negatively related to depression and anxiety whereas negative religious experiences from childhood were positively related to depression and anxiety. Harsh emotion parenting from childhood was positively related to depression and anxiety in adulthood. Results did not find support for moderated moderation for predicting depression or anxiety. Chi-squared indicated no significant differences in the percentage of individuals who endorsed childhood emotional abuse due to ethnicity, gender, or the interaction of gender and ethnicity. Future research would benefit from longitudinal designs that follow children across time to better understand whether and how religious social support may be a buffer for emotional abuse experienced in childhood.

abstract: As scholars continue to generate research on social support, so has the realization that our understanding of this theoretical concept is not so clear. Originally introduced by Francis Cullen in 1994, social support has traditionally been examined as a single measure. Cullen, however, posits that there are numerous forms of social support that can be provided by different actors. Little research has sought to examine these different forms of social support and their relationship with recidivating. Further, the extant literature generally places social support in the positive light, hypothesized to have an inverse relationship with crime. Studies have shown, however, that not all social support provides an inverse relationship with recidivism, and instead, some forms of support may actually increase an individual’s likelihood of recidivating. Using data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, this dissertation examines both positive and negative emotional family support and the effects they have on the likelihood that formerly incarcerated individuals will recidivate. Utilizing discrete time hazard modeling, and controlling for instrumental family and instrumental peer support, results reveal that while positive emotional family support does indeed have an inverse relationship with recidivating, negative emotional family support has a more salient and direct relationship with recidivating. Additionally, other findings are explored, along with implications for criminological theory, correctional programming, and criminal justice policy. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Criminology and Criminal Justice 2019

Online Health Communities (OHCs) have become an important source of sharing and receiving information and support for people with health-related concerns. These communities provide important benefits to users including enhanced medical knowledge, emotional comfort, personal empowerment and the ability to create offline social connections. High levels of user engagement are beneficial to both users and the OHC, so it is important to understand what motivate users’ participation, encourage them to contribute and influence their churning behaviors. This thesis covers why, when, and how users are actively engaged within an OHC. It is based on descriptive and predictive analytics of OHC users’ online interactions with text mining techniques. I built explanatory models to reveal how users’ motivations and roles evolve over time, the types of social support activities that encourage users’ continuous participation, and the forms of social capital that drive users’ continued contributions to the community. In addition, I developed predictive models to help an OHC forecast whether and when a user will churn. The findings of this study have implications for managing and sustaining successful OHCs, and can provide OHC managers with suggestions on how to motivate user contributions and retain users through interventions.

The goal of this investigation was to marry two theories of supportive communication outcomes in order to test a comprehensive model of social support for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The theoretical frameworks utilized in this investigation were the theory of conversationally-induced reappraisals and the dual-process theory of supportive communication outcomes. These theoretical frameworks provide a foundation for the conversation of how social network members can help their loved ones with OCD manage their distressing symptoms as they explore the types of social support message features (verbal person-centeredness) that are most productive in achieving emotional improvement for those experiencing emotional distress. The union of these two theories in the context of social support and OCD management led to the testing of seven hypotheses. Participants (n = 168) who self-identified as living with OCD at some point in their life were recruited to fill out an online questionnaire. Results indicated support for the theory of conversationally-induced reappraisals, but not for the dual-process theory of supportive communication outcomes. Overall, the findings of this investigation highlighted the utility of emotional support messages high in verbal person-centeredness as they led those with OCD to reassess the intrusive nature of their symptoms, a process which promoted overall affective improvement. These associations suggest that social network members can help their loved ones with OCD manage their symptoms through supportive communication.

This study evaluated two distinct aspects of social functioning (specifically, social support and social constraint) in an attempt to increase understanding of its bidirectional relationship with distress after cancer diagnosis. Participants in this intensive longitudinal study were all recently diagnosed, first primary cervical or head/neck cancer survivors (n=47). Data collection involved a comprehensive baseline assessment and 30-day period of daily assessment (n=37) of key variables (i.e., social support, social constraint, and distress). Data were analyzed using unconditional and conditional multilevel linear models. None of the variables changed significantly over the 30-day period. On a typical day, social constraint and distress were predictive of one another (ps < .001). Social support and distress did not demonstrate a bidirectional relationship (ps > .05). In the context of cancer adjustment and survivorship, future interventions for distress should consider targeting social constraint and interventions for social constraint should consider targeting distress.

The purpose of this study was to examine trends in MSW graduate student's self-reported levels of healthy habits, family support and relationships during education, self-care, personal standards, as well as time management, and what the implications of those things are related to student burnout. The hypothesis was that students are burned out before they enter the social work field professionally. This poses a problem because the social work field has an already high level of burnout, turnover, and compassion fatigue. This study examines the trends in both the online pathways program and the on-the- ground ground program.

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effect of an online social network used as an adjunct to a behavioral weight loss intervention on participants’ perceived social support and perceived self-efficacy using constructs of Social Cognitive Theory as a basis for website development. Methods: 13 adult women (mean age: 43 years of age, range: 25-63 years) participated in a 12-week behavioral weight-loss intervention with the option to access the Transformation Challenge Online Community (TCOC), an internet-based support and informational website. The TCOC was developed using constructs of the Social Cognitive Theory. Data analyzed included online site usage software and pre- and post-questionnaire results. Time spent online, unique visits to the webpage, and pre and post-intervention data were analyzed using a mixed methods approach. Results: Average time spent on TCOC was 95.6 minutes over the entire three month intervention (range: 0 – 287 minutes). Website usage varied widely ranging from a participant who never accessed the site to another participant who logged on daily and commented a total of 27 times. Perceived self-efficacy to maintain a learned health behavior without the aid of a professional, as well as overall perceived social support were statistically significantly greater post-intervention. Confidence in the TCOC’s ability to aid in making healthy lifestyle changes decreased significantly from pre- to post-intervention while website usage also decreased over time. Conclusions: The internet may be a valuable tool for improving perceptions of social support and increasing access to reliable information and education. A web-based intervention can be used as an adjunct to a face-to-face intervention to provide additional support and information, as well as used to reach groups who may not have access to a face-to-face option. Considerations should be given to the structure of the online program; the potential for dynamic, aesthetically pleasing self-regulation tools; and content that is tailored to the individual. Decreased usage of the website over time may reflect similar difficulties in maintaining participation in face-to-face weight loss interventions. Attention should also be given to the target audience as participant comfort levels and feelings towards using the internet may differ significantly between users and therefore impact outcomes.

During the transition to adulthood, youth often rely on the people in their life for support. However, for transition-aged foster youth, these supports may not be available or may look different than supports available to youth in the general population. Relationships with supportive adults have been found to help former foster youth transition to adulthood, but little is known about the adults youth have in their network. Foster youth who report increased levels of social capital have been shown to experience higher levels of success in young adulthood. However, as former foster youth transition to adulthood, a lack of in-depth understanding of supportive adults and social networks creates difficulties identifying—and addressing—potential gaps in their social network. This study aims to gain a better understanding of how social networks influence social support and access to and mobilization of social capital as youth leave the foster care system. A social network assessment based on two existing measures was created to attain a better understanding of the social networks of transition-aged foster youth. The new social network tool was piloted with a group of young adults prior to use in this study. This social network tool allowed for an in-depth understanding of social networks, social support, and social capital as three distinct constructs. The social network characteristics included: on whom the youth relies for support, how the relationship developed, and the closeness of the relationship. Social support included: questions on the type of support available to youth (resources, emotional, advice, or constructive criticism), as well as the social support domains (housing, education, employment, relationships, and transportation). Social capital was examined based on questions about network members’ occupation(s) and frequency of communication between the youth and each network member. Univariate, Bivariate, and Multivariate analyses were utilized to examine social network characteristics, foster care history, social support, and social capital. The mean network size of sample participants was 7.1 and the range was 0–36. A relationship between placement type and social network members was found; indicating that youth in congregate care were more likely to have formal (social service related) networks than youth not in congregate care. A relationship between having more informal network members and housing stability was found; indicating that different network members may help youth with different young adult outcomes. A relationship between both access to, and mobilization of, social capital was found based on the type of social network members (formal, informal, familial-biological, familial-foster). Based on the findings of the current study, research and practice implications are discussed. These include the utility of social network analysis with transition-aged foster youth, future lines of inquiry, and suggested practice/policy shifts.

The suicide rate among African-American youths has significantly increased in recent years. Studies have indicated that racism, sexism, and homophobia put African-American adolescent lesbians (AAALs) at high risk for suicide. Earlier studies recognized the importance of adult support for adults, but the relationship between the AAAL suicide rate and the level of adult support has never been formally studied. Based on social support theory, this survey study examined the relationship between adult social support and attitudes toward homosexuality (as the independent variables) and suicidality and hopelessness (as the dependent variables) in a convenience sample of 200 self-identified 13-to-19-year-old AAALs. Data were collected using the Duke Social Support and Stress Scale (DUSOCS), the Homosexuality Attitude Scale (HAS), the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS), and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). Descriptive statistics and ANOVA correlation and regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 20. The results showed a statistically significant negative relationship between social support and attitude toward homosexuality and the dependent variable, suicidal ideation; a significant negative relationship between social support and hopelessness; and a significant, but weak, positive relationship between social support and attitude toward homosexuality. Lack of family and social support is associated with social isolation and increased risk of suicide among homosexual youths. Finding ways to increase family and social support for AAALs has the potential to promote positive social change by reducing suicidal ideation in this at-risk group.

The development of obesity from adolescence to adulthood is not well understood, nor does the research support a multidimensional approach for this understanding. Studies have described primarily cross-sectional bivariate relationships between combinations of obesity, religiosity, depression, and social support, but it is still not known whether there is a relationship between adolescent religiosity, depression, and social support in the development of adult obesity or whether depression and social support mediate the religiosity-obesity relationship. The dynamic, multidimensional, functional model of wellness presented by Hawks was the basis for the spiritual, social, emotional, and physical interactions proposed in this study. The research questions sought to identify the relationship that exists between adolescent religiosity, depression, and social support and adult obesity and considered depression and social support as potential mediators of the religiosity-obesity relationship. This quantitative study employed multiple linear regression while using the prospective nature of the Add Health data set to gain a longitudinal understanding of the religiosity-obesity relationship. Adolescent male religiosity significantly predicted adult obesity, but female religiosity did not. Neither depression nor social support mediated the religiosity-obesity relationship. Social change implications include a rationale for developing sex-based multidimensional approaches, including spiritual approaches, for supporting adolescents in their transition to adulthood. Support for acknowledging the differences between sexes for multiple health interactions is provided and indicated for healthcare providers. Finally, health educators are presented with much-needed support for the concept of the multidimensionality of wellness.