Individual and community social capital, mobility restrictions, and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multilevel analysis of a representative US survey

Abstract

This paper explores the role of social capital in mitigating the mental health harms of social/mobility restrictions instigated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We test whether: (a) social capital continued to predict lower mental distress during the pandemic; and (b) whether social capital buffered (moderated) the harm of social/mobility restrictions on psychological distress. In addition, we test the level at which social capital mitigation effects operated, i.e., at the individual- and/or contextual-level. To do so, we apply multilevel models to three waves of the COVID-19 Household Impact Survey consisting of probability samples of U.S. adults (with the average interview completion rate of 93%). In a novel approach, we explore two modes of capturing contextual social capital: aggregated individual-level survey responses and independently measured social capital indices (SCIs). Findings show that at the individual level social capital was associated with lower psychological distress. It also buffered the harm of restrictions: increasing restrictions had a weaker effect on distress among individuals interacting with neighbors more frequently. Importantly, mitigating processes of contextual social capital appeared conditional on how it was measured. Using aggregated survey responses, contextual social capital had no direct effect on distress but exerted an additional buffering role: individuals in counties with higher average neighbor-interaction experienced a weaker impact of restrictions. Using the independent SCI measures, we found county social capital reduced distress. However, its negative effect on distress becomes increasingly weaker the more restrictions an individual reported: where individuals reported lower restrictions, higher county SCI reduced distress; however, where individuals reported higher restrictions, higher county SCI had no effect on distress. More restrictive environments thus cut individuals off from the benefits of higher county social capital as measured using the SCI.

How Do Perceived Social Support and Community Social Network Alleviate Psychological Distress During COVID-19 Lockdown? The Mediating Role of Residents' Epidemic Prevention Capability

“…Theoretically, this paper constructs a structural equation model from the individual and community levels to reveal the impact mechanism of psychological stress. In previous studies, both personal social networks and social support were regarded as social capital, and their unilateral effects were not studied ( 65 , 66 ). This paper classifies community types in community-based research in terms of research content.…”

How Did COVID-19 Change Opinions and Behaviors in the Netherlands?

“…The ability to maintain social relations may impact how people come out of the lockdown. For instance, upholding social interactions with others such as neighbors tended to buffer the negative effects of the lockdown restrictions on mental wellbeing in the U.S. (Laurence and Kim, 2021). Also, Chinese people that have a strong sense of community tend to worry less about the pandemic and its consequences (Zhou and Guo, 2021).…”

Salir Adelante: Social capital and resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic in Argentina

“…Accepted typologies of social capital include "bonding" (tight, emotionally close bonds, especially among family and kin networks), "bridging" (ties among loosely connected people across social difference), and "linking" (connections of ordinary people to those who hold power) types ( Aldrich and Meyer, 2015 ). Social capital is considered a key resource of resilience, lessening the impact of stressors in people's lives, for example, in disaster recovery ( Jewett et al, 2021 ; Laurence and Kim, 2021 ).…”

“…The physical and social infrastructure of a neighborhood are key to its ability to affect its residents’ health and well-being ( Miao et al, 2021 ; Mohnen et al, 2011 ). Several studies suggest better health outcomes during the pandemic in neighborhoods with higher levels of social capital ( Borkowska and Laurence, 2021 ; Laurence and Kim, 2021 ; Miao et al, 2021 ; Ransome et al, 2021 ; Pierce et al, 2021 ).…”