Social Networks of Mining Town Women

Abstract

This study examined the social ecology of families in new mining towns by means of network analysis. It compared the personal social networks of 44 mothers living in mining towns with a similar group of mothers living in rural service towns, in terms of structural, interactional and support characteristics. Qualitatively different adaptation patterns were found between the two groups, which suggest that mining women are under more psychological stress than women in country towns. Mining women were less socially integrated into their community, had more fragile social networks, and were in greater need of social support than their country‐town counterparts.

Women living in a remote Australian mining community: Exploring their psychological well‐being

“…Nevertheless, limited child-care, education and medical services were significant stress, particularly concerning childbirth, specialist access and the FIFO model of medical care. This study's findings supports previous research 3,16,27 in so far as living in a remote mining community might contribute to poorer social capital and community connectedness, with strong cliques and social strata. Also, many women were isolated from traditional sources of social, emotional and practical support from friends and family, while the transient population made it difficult for long-term residents to constantly be making new friendships.…”

“…15 However, in remote mining towns, isolation from friends and families and transient populations mean that residents can lack both close relationships and large support networks that are crucial for good psychological well-being. 8,15,16 Furthermore, mining shiftwork affects the individual physically and psychologically with circadian rhythm disruption, 17 increased depression rates and daytime sleepiness. 18 Shiftwork families experience higher 'workto-family spillover', 19 divorce rates, 20 stress levels 21 and poorer marital relations.…”

Consideration of the determinants of women's mental health in remote Australian mining towns

“…Studies on mining town residents suggest that immigrant workers and their partners develop common interest social networks that provide a range of benefits to them. [10][11][12] Particularly, women in mining towns develop a small social network and, at least among new families and in the less established settlements, they maintain a strong compensatory behaviour 11 with this network. The compensatory behaviour-associated relationship plays an important role however, it lacks strong emotional ties and commonly women still regard their relationships with relatives and friends back in their home towns as their basic source of support.…”

“…Studies, however, downplay any significant association of hostile climatic conditions 6,7 -as often is the case with many mines in Australia; geographical remoteness, 8,9 or the developmental stage of mining towns, 8 with the mental health problems of resident individuals. Also, there is no linear relationship between personality characteristics 7 or lack of social skills [10][11][12] of individuals migrating to remote/isolated places with their behaviour and/or mental morbidity. Although separation from relatives and friends of the migrating individuals was found to have the largest (direct and indirect) impact on life satisfaction of male mine workers, 13 isolation on its own is not a reason for mental morbidity among female residents of mining towns.…”

Human Resource Management in Remote Communities

“…As Burvill and Kidd (19?5) have noted, the feelings of isolation among this group are reinforced by such things as the harsh climate in which they must live; the limited opportunities to travel to the 'outside' world; limited opportunities (due to poor public transportation) to get around within the community; general lack of entertainment; long periods of confinement at home; poor ' childcare facilities; and a lack of public places in which to meet other women. Emotional isolation has been reported as attributable to the pervasive sense of living in a frontier society with its typical male-oriented culture (Williams, 1981); limited employment opportunities (Burvill, 1975;Burvill and Kidd, 19?5~; lack of older-generation women kinfolk or friends to call upon for advice Qr reassurance about child-rearing (Clayton, 1974;Burvill, 1975); the difficulties of establishing primary social ties with neighbours and others within the community when these towns are characterized by high rates of mobility (Cotterell, 1984); the disruptions to family life and daily routines associated with shift work (Lucas, 19? l ;Storey et al, 1986); and limited contact with a husband typically working overtime, doing shiftwork or involved in individual pastimes and drinking with his fellow workers at the local hotel, which are seldom joint spousal activities (Evans and Cooperstock, 1983).…”