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Interpersonal coping networks and mental health problems among four race‐ethnic groups
Author(s) -
Warheit George,
Shimizu David,
Vega William,
Meinhardt Kenneth
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6629(198210)10:4<312::aid-jcop2290100404>3.0.co;2-p
Subject(s) - friendship , ethnic group , mental health , psychology , coping (psychology) , interpersonal communication , interpersonal relationship , race (biology) , clinical psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , botany , sociology , anthropology , biology
This paper presents field survey data on the availability and use of familial and friendship networks and their relationships to mental health. The samples ( n = 5,174) include Whites, Blacks, Mexican Americans, Anglos, and Guamanians. More than two‐thirds of all respondents in the various race‐ethnic groups reported nearby family members upon whom they could call in times of need. Approximately three‐fourths of the same respondents indicated having nearby supportive friends. Between 25% and 35% of the subsamples sought help from family members in the 12 months preceeding their interview; help seeking from friends ranged from 20% to 47%. Some variations were found but overall the presence of family members perceived as coping resources was not significantly associated with reported levels of mental health problems. However, the presence of friends was significantly associated with lower levels of psychiatric symptoms and dysfunctions for the Anglo and Mexican‐American subsamples. It was not significant for the other groups. Further, the data indicate that the use of familial and friendship networks did not appear to ameliorate mental health problems. To the contrary, those who sought assistance from family members and/or friends had significantly higher psychiatric symptom and dysfunction levels than those who did not. The authors concluded that the relationship between the availability and use of interpersonal networks and mental health are complex and varied. As such, generalizations regarding these relationships cannot be made in the absence of specific data.