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

Abstract

This study explores relationships between lifetime and 12 month DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD), depressive symptoms and involvement with family and friends within a national sample of African American and Black Caribbean adults (n=5,191). MDD was assessed using the DSM-IV World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) and depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES-D and the K6. Findings indicated that among both populations close supportive ties with family members and friends are associated with lower rates of depression and major depressive disorder. For African Americans, closeness to family members was important for both 12 month and lifetime MDD; and both family and friend closeness were important for depressive symptoms. For Caribbean Blacks, family closeness had more limited associations with outcomes and was directly associated with psychological distress only. Negative interactions with family (conflict, criticisms), however, were associated with higher MDD and depressive symptoms among both African Americans and Black Caribbeans.

Family and friendship informal support networks and social anxiety disorder among African Americans and Black Caribbeans

“…This is consistent with previous research identifying negative interaction as a risk factor for having a psychiatric disorder in the general population [53,54]. Further, more frequent negative interactions with family has also been linked to increased odds for having higher levels of psychiatric distress and depression in U.S. Black populations [23,21,55], increased odds of having a suicidal ideation and a suicidal attempt [25], as well as increased odds of having a mood or anxiety disorder among older African Americans [56]. …”

Who Can I Turn To? Emotional Support Availability in African American Social Networks

“…Negative interactions with family has been associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation (Lincoln et al 2012) and social anxiety disorders (Levine et al 2015). Closely related, a recent study by Taylor et al (2015) found that African Americans who lack close supportive ties with family have higher rates of major depressive disorder over the course of a year and a lifetime than those who have close supportive family ties.…”

Family, friends, and 12-month PTSD among African Americans

“…Research examining the health-related benefits of social support indicate that higher levels of emotional social support are associated with higher levels of life satisfaction (Taylor, Chatters, Hardison, & Riley, 2001) and happiness (Nguyen et al, 2015; Taylor et al, 2001) among African Americans. Additionally, social support is protective against a range of mental health problems and has been linked to lowered odds of being diagnosed with depression (Chatters et al, 2015; Lincoln & Chae, 2012; Lincoln, Taylor, Chae, & Chatters, 2010; Taylor et al, 2015), anxiety (Levine, Taylor, Nguyen, Chatters, & Himle, in press; Lincoln, Taylor, Bullard, et al, 2010), fewer depressive symptoms (Haines, Beggs, & Hurlbert, 2008; Lincoln, Chatters, & Taylor, 2005), and lower levels of psychological distress (Lincoln, Chatters, & Taylor, 2003). Conversely, African Americans experiencing low levels of social support are more likely to have suicidal ideation (Lincoln, Taylor, Chatters, & Joe, 2012; Wingate et al, 2005) and to attempt suicide (Compton, Thompson, & Kaslow, 2005; Kaslow et al, 2005; Lincoln, Taylor, Chatters, et al, 2012).…”

“…Further, PTSD is also commonly associated with learning and memory impairments (Burriss et al, 2008) and is comorbid with major depressive disorder (Amaya-Jackson et al, 1999) and substance abuse (Buckley, Mozley, Bedard, Dewulf, & Greif, 2004; Thomas et al, 2010)—all of which have consequences for social functioning and personal relationships. Social relationships may be particularly important in understanding African Americans’ mental health, (Chatters, Taylor, Woodward, & Nicklett, 2015; Lincoln, 2000; Taylor, Chae, Lincoln, & Chatters, 2015)as prior research has found that positive relationship qualities, such as social support and subjective closeness, are predictive of more favorable mental health outcomes, and negative relationship qualities, such as negative interactions, are predictive of poorer mental health outcomes (Lincoln, 2000; Nguyen, Chatters, Taylor, & Mouzon, 2015; Taylor et al, 2015). The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between social support, negative interactions and 12-month PTSD in a nationally representative sample of African Americans in the U.S.…”