Stress buffering effects of social support on depressive symptoms in middle age: Reciprocity and community mental health

Abstract

Little is known about the association between depression and the buffering effects of social support in mid-life crisis. The aim of this study is to determine the buffering effects of social support on depression concerning middle-aged individuals, while also taking reciprocity and gender differences into careful consideration. A cross-sectional survey of all middle-aged individuals (40-69 years of age) using a large sample (n = 4558) from a community-living population, who resided in Rokunohe town, Aomori prefecture in northern Japan (response rate = 69.8%), was undertaken. This town recently had a lot of suicides. Two-way anova was used to analyze the effects of stressor and social support on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale scores. The authors found a stress buffering effect of social support on the depressive symptoms occurring in middle age, however, a significant difference in the stress buffer effect was only observed in male subjects. Moreover, when the authors take reciprocity into account, the effect of the buffer on depression was found not only in males receiving support but in males providing support as well.In conclusion, pertaining to males, social support reduces depressive symptoms under stressful circumstances in middle age, not only when they receive such support but also when they provide it. Therefore, these findings suggest that reciprocal social support is important for males in relation to community mental health.

Failed reciprocity in close social relationships and health: Findings from the Whitehall II study

“…Although mean scores of failed reciprocity from partner and general trust were higher in women than in men, we did not observe gender-specific differences in the strength of association with health. Previous reports found gender differences with regard to health effects of providing and receiving support [23][24][25]. For instance, in a Finnish prospective study, giving more support than receiving was beneficial for health among women, whereas in men, the reversed effect was found [23].…”

“…Investigating the potential confounding role of negative social support is of primary importance, as nonreciprocal close relations and negative social support may measure distinct but overlapping concepts that may affect health independently of each other. So far, there is limited evidence available for each one of these associations [19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Yet, to our knowledge, no previous investigation has explored their separate effects in a single data set.…”

Possible Health‐protecting Effects of Feeling Useful to Others on Symptoms of Depression and Sleep Disturbance in the Workplace

“…Longitudinal studies have shown that older adults who feel useless to others are more likely than those who feel useful to others to experience an increase in disability or to die [4][5][6][7] . In a middle-aged community-living population, the stress-buffering effect on depressive symptoms of providing support was demonstrated for males, but not for females, indicating a gender difference 8) . However, whether feeling useful to others plays an important role in health in the workplace, has not yet been clarified.…”

Role of Social Support in Examining Acculturative Stress and Psychological Distress Among Asian American Immigrants and Three Sub-groups: Results from NLAAS

“…Friends and family members may provide important resources, such as, assistance in finding employment, help accessing legal and economic support, and may influence individual's engagement with health protective behaviors (e.g. vaccinations or preventive screening) that impacts overall health [37,38]. However, not all social connections are beneficial.…”