Associations Between Social Relationships and Emotional Well-Being in Middle-Aged and Older African Americans

Abstract

Social relationships may enhance emotional health in older age. The authors examined associations between social relationships and emotional health using data from the Milwaukee African American sample of the second Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS II) study, 2005-2006 (n = 592). Self-reports indicated good, very good, or excellent emotional health, distinguished from fair or poor. Social relationships were measured by relationship type (family or friend), contact frequency, and levels of emotional support and strain. Control variables included demographic characteristics, types of lifetime and daily discrimination, neighborhood quality, and other social factors. In adjusted results, each increase on a family emotional support scale was associated with 118% greater odds of reporting better emotional health (odds ratio [OR] = 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.43, 3.32]). Friend emotional support also was associated with better emotional health (OR = 1.59, CI [1.07, 2.34]). Daily discrimination substantially reduced reported emotional health; family and friend support buffered this effect.

Extended Family and Friendship Support Networks Are Both Protective and Risk Factors for Major Depressive Disorder and Depressive Symptoms Among African-Americans and Black Caribbeans

“…These findings are consistent with other research on friendships indicating that non-kin peers play important supportive roles for African Americans (Chatters et al, 1994). Consistent with research on self-rated emotional health (Warren-Findlow et al, 2011), this study found that friend support was associated with lower odds of depression even when controlling for family sources of support. Several conclusions can be drawn from this collection of findings.…”

“…This finding is somewhat unexpected because structural features of family networks, such as frequency of contact are generally less likely to be associated with health and mental health than subjective measures of social support (Warren-Findlow et al, 2011). In interpreting this finding, it is important to note that contemporary Caribbean Black families are often highly geographically dispersed (i.e., transnational families).…”

“…In contrast, negative interaction had a much more robust effect and was associated with an increase in the number of anxiety and mood disorders irrespective of the source (i.e., spouse, relative or friend). Finally, a recent study (Warren-Findlow et al, 2011) found that both family and friend support were associated with better self-rated emotional health among middle-aged and older African Americans. Family strain (negative interactions) was associated with lower emotional health in unadjusted analyses, but was insignificant in the multivariate context.…”

Does Race Moderate Social Support and Psychological Distress Among Rural Older Adults?

“…Emotional support, better quality relationships with friends, and greater satisfaction with SS were significantly associated with better mental health (Bloor, Sandler, Martin, Uchino, & Kinney, 2006; Dressler, 1985; Warren-Findlow, Laditka, Laditka, & Thompson, 2011). One study comparing African Americans to Caucasians found the former needed emotional support more than the latter (Bloor et al, 2006).…”

“…We propose SS acts as a greater buffer for PD among African Americans than Caucasians, so using race as a moderator is more appropriate, because moderators show whether a construct differentially affects groups. Moreover, moderation analyses have the most power when the relation between the predictor and outcome are well established (Frazier et al, 2004), as is the relation between SS and PD (Bloor et al, 2006; Bosworth et al, 2002; Hays et al, 1998; Warren-Findlow et al, 2011). …”