Social Support, Loneliness, Recuperative Processes, and Their Direct and Indirect Effects on Health

Abstract

This study tested predictions that potentially explain why social support is associated with better health and loneliness is associated with poorer health. Social support was predicted to be associated with better health because it minimizes loneliness, which itself is associated with poor health. In particular, this study evaluated the role of recuperative processes, namely, sleep and leisure, in the association between loneliness and poor health. Participants were 224 adults aged 18-81 years who completed measures of social support, loneliness, health, sleep quality, and leisure. Results indicated that social support had an indirect association with better health, through lower loneliness. There was also evidence supporting or at least partially supporting the assumption that one mechanism by which loneliness is associated with poorer health is through less functional recuperative processes, specifically sleep and leisure. Finally, social support moderated the association between age and health such that among those with relatively high levels of social support, age and health were positively associated.

Effect of a Randomized Controlled Trial Walking Program on Walking, Stress, Depressive Symptoms and Cardiovascular Biomarkers in Elderly Korean Immigrants

“…This research supports the link between social support and positive health outcomes proposed by the Theory of Reasoned Action and other researchers [16][17][18]. Long-term follow-up of walking behavior after the structured walking exercise might be considered in future studies.…”

“…The Theory of Reasoned Action and other research findings have confirmed a link between social support and positive health outcomes [16][17][18]. Adults with larger social support systems had higher levels of self-esteem and exercise behavior than those with lower social support [19].…”

Uloga Usamljenosti U Relaciji Zdravlja I Subjektivnog Blagostanja U Starosti

“…Kod starih osoba koje nisu usamljene ne postoji povezanost između toga kako one subjektivno procenjuju sopstveno zdravlje i koliko su zadovoljne životom. Ovakvi nalazi su u saglasnosti sa brojnim empirijskim nalazima koji ukazuju na štetnost koju usamljenost ostvaruje kako po zdravlje tako i po blagostanje osoba u starosti (Buchman et al, 2009;Hawkley et al, 2010;Segrin & Domschke, 2011;Wenger et al, 1996). Pretpostavljeni mehanizam putem koga se povišena usamljenost negativno odražava na relaciju zdravlja i blagostanja jeste povišeni nivo stresa, koji je povezan i sa visokom usamljenošću i sa generalnim zdravljem (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2007).…”

“…Stek et al, 2005). Studije posvećene relaciji između socijalne umreženosti i zdravstvenog statusa starih ukazale su na značajnu povezanost između usamljenosti i inflamatornog statusa i nesanice (Cacioppo, Hawkley, Norman, & Berntson, 2011), kardiovaskularnih bolesti (Hawkley, Thisted, Masi, & Cacioppo, 2010), osiromašene motorike (Buchman et al, 2009), ali i nepridržavanja lekarskih uputa tokom medicinske terapije (Segrin & Domschke, 2011). Jedan broj studija ukazuje da se ova veza između usamljenosti i zdravlja može objasniti činjenicom da usamljeni ljudi generalno manje vode računa o zdravstvenom ponašanju i slabije spavaju (Cacioppo et al, 2002) kao i da doživljavaju više stresa (McHugh & Lawlor, 2013) i osećaju pad životnog elana (Eng, Rimm, Fitzmaurice, & Kawachi, 2002).…”

Professores Também Sentem Solidão: Estudo das Características Pessoais e Profissionais de Docentes Associadas à Solidão

“…In addition to depression, loneliness has also been linked to stress, poor sleep quality, alcoholism, and reduced physical activity (Akerlind & Hornquist, 1992;Hawkley, Thisted, & Cacioppo, 2009;Segrin & Domschke, 2011;Segrin & Passalacqua, 2010). This set of negative consequences does not take place in a vacuum.…”