From support to overload: Patterns of positive and negative family relationships of adults with mental illness over time

Abstract

a b s t r a c tFamily relationships account for much of the support available to individuals with mental illness. Although some studies have acknowledged the importance of family support, and while others have underlined the harmful effects of negative relationships, research has seldom empirically considered the complex web of positive and negative relationships in family networks. This research hypothesised that social capital has distinct consequences for psychological health depending on the presence or absence of negative family relationships. Through a five-wave follow-up of 60 individuals undergoing psychotherapy in a private practice, the study explored the structural features of positive and negative relationships, considered jointly, in the family networks of adults with mental illness. Four patterns of relationships were found: bonding social capital, bridging social capital, overload and ego-centred conflict. Compared to individuals within a bonding or bridging social capital pattern, those experiencing overload and ego-centred conflict patterns showed higher levels of psychological distress. These results highlight the importance of considering the structural dimensions of positive and negative relationships together to understand the lasting connection between family networks and the psychological health of individuals with mental illness.

Gender Difference in Social Capital, Common Mental Disorders and Depression: ELSA-Brasil Study

“…In our study, we observed that practically all resources were accessed through strong ties (bonding social capital) and that the access reported to resources of social capital was predominantly high in both sexes. However, we believe that the knowledge regarding the role of social capital according to gender is still incipient and controversial, especially at individual level, as we found examples of the differentiated effect of social capital according to gender [28,29,[31][32][33], but also researches in which the effect is similar [34] or inexistent [29].…”

“…Men usually have a more extensive social network, with a higher quantity of formal ties and people in power positions (linking social capital) while women usually establish more homogenous social networks with closer people (bonding social capital) [31]. Thus, as Eriksson [29] points to a higher importance of bonding social capital in behaviors related to health, it is also believed that bonding social capital (more frequent among women) is more important to mental health [32].…”

Predictors of Family Stress in Taking Care of Patients with Schizophrenia

“…The situation is influenced by the cultural structure of Indonesia that still holds true to strong family ties, so if there is one family member who is sick, then the nuclear family will take on the caregiver role to provide care. Parents or children as part of the nuclear family is a family structure that plays an important role in providing long-term care to family members who experience chronic disease, such as mental disorders (Karp, 2001;Sapin, Widmer, & Iglesias, 2016).…”

“…Effective role sharing will help the families accept reality more quickly so as to reduce the stress experienced. An important role in the family when caring for a sick family member involves the process of making the decision to seek immediate solutions and to begin the treatment process (Carpentier, 2013;Sapin et al, 2016). However, it is possible for there to be a conflict within the family due to an imbalance of role sharing within the family structure (Sapin et al, 2016;Widmer, 2010).…”

Creative and Social Capital: Concepts, Problems and Contradictions

“…However, bonding and bridging ties of SC's circulation are eccentric towards each other though they depend on each other (Sapin et al, 2016;Bouchillon, 2014). Bonding ties, unlike bridging ones, help to keep touch between the community members who cluster into certain groups, "fraternities" (that consist of the members of social networks), that are revolutionary towards the society.…”