Relational diversity in social portfolios predicts well-being

Collins, Hanne K.; Hagerty, Serena F.; Quoidbach, Jordi; Norton, Michael I.; Brooks, Alison Wood

doi:10.1073/pnas.2120668119

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…This link between weak ties and mental wellbeing is similar to that described in previous research in the community setting where brief interactions with strangers were shown to positively impact happiness and wellbeing (Sandstrom & Boothby, 2021;Van Lange & Columbus, 2021). Social support from both strong and weak ties is well-established as beneficial for mental wellbeing (Berkman et al, 2000;Golden et al, 2009;Moreton et al, 2023;Thoits, 2011) with an even balance of strong and weak ties being ideal (Collins et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

‘My parkrun friends.’ A qualitative study of social experiences of men at parkrun in Ireland

Dunne,

Quirk,

Bullas

et al. 2024

Health Promotion International

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Social support is a well-established determinant of mental wellbeing. Community initiatives, which combine a purposeful activity with social connection, may be appropriate to promote the mental wellbeing of middle-aged men in Ireland—a group at risk of poor mental wellbeing due to social isolation. parkrun offers free, weekly, 5km run or walk events in 22 countries. This study aims to explore the social experience of parkrun participation for middle-aged men in Ireland and considers how social connections made at parkrun relate to mental wellbeing. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2022/23 with 39 men aged 45–64 years, who run, walk or volunteer at parkrun in Ireland, recruited purposively in rural and urban communities. Men with a range of parkrun experience gave interviews lasting a mean of 32 minutes. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis resulted in three themes and ten subthemes. The men described parkrun as offering a welcoming and supportive environment (Theme 1). Men at parkrun could choose the level of social connections, building strong or weak social ties to provide social support and improve mental wellbeing (Theme 2). Social engagement with parkrun evolved following repeated participation (Theme 3). The results suggest that parkrun is a suitable community initiative for middle-aged men at risk of poor mental wellbeing due to social isolation. Social connections were developed after repeated participation in parkrun and these connections improved subjective mental wellbeing. The findings from this study could be used to design new initiatives for mental health promotion.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

‘My parkrun friends.’ A qualitative study of social experiences of men at parkrun in Ireland

Dunne,

Quirk,

Bullas

et al. 2024

Health Promotion International

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“…Social isolation and lack of support has been associated with postnatal depression (Mauthner 1995 ; Myers and Emmott 2021 ; Taylor et al 2022 ), with 47.5% of participants in our original survey meeting the threshold for postnatal depression (Myers and Emmott 2021 ). A recent study suggests that diversity in social interactions predicts subjective wellbeing, over-and-beyond social network size (Collins et al 2022 ). Facilitating a balanced support system around mothers, and decentring parenting experts as primary sources of support, may enhance postpartum maternal experience and wellbeing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on postpartum mothers in London, England: An online focus group study

Emmott

Gilliland

Narasimhan

et al. 2023

J Public Health (Berl.)

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Aims This study examines the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on postpartum mothers in England, with the aim of identifying opportunities to improve maternal experience and wellbeing. The postpartum/postnatal period is widely acknowledged as a time when mothers require greater levels of support from multiple sources. However, stay-at-home orders, commonly known as “lockdown,” deployed in some countries to limit COVID-19 transmission reduced access to support. In England, many postpartum mothers navigated household isolation within an intensive mothering and expert parenting culture. Examining the impact of lockdown may reveal strengths and weaknesses in current policy and practice. Subject and methods We conducted online focus groups involving 20 mothers living in London, England, with “lockdown babies,” following up on our earlier online survey on social support and maternal wellbeing. We thematically analysed focus group transcripts, and identified key themes around Lockdown Experience and Determinants of Lockdown Experience. Results Participants raised some positives of lockdown, including fostering connections and protection from external expectations, but also raised many negatives, including social isolation, institutional abandonment, and intense relationships within the household. Potential reasons behind variations in lockdown experience include physical environments, timing of birth, and number of children. Our findings reflect how current systems may be “trapping” some families into the male-breadwinner/female-caregiver family model, while intensive mothering and expert parenting culture may be increasing maternal stress and undermining responsive mothering. Conclusions Facilitating partners to stay at home during the postpartum period (e.g., increasing paternity leave and flexible working) and establishing peer/community support to decentre reliance on professional parenting experts may promote positive postpartum maternal experience and wellbeing.

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“…People are able to identify who they turn to for specific affective regulatory needs (e.g., who do you turn to to cheer you up when you are feeling sad?) and having a diverse social network not only facilitates this process, but is associated with well-being [71,72]. While people are more likely to seek support from those they perceive as being closer [73], some work suggests that even unknown others (i.e., strangers) may also provide affective and cognitive benefits.…”

Section: Do the Individuals Involved In The Social Disconnection Inte...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mitigating the affective and cognitive consequences of social exclusion: an integrative data analysis of seven social disconnection interventions

Lee,

Surenkok,

Zayas

2024

BMC Public Health

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Background Being socially excluded has detrimental effects, with prolonged exclusion linked to loneliness and social isolation. Social disconnection interventions that do not require direct support actions (e.g., “how can I help?”) offer promise in mitigating the affective and cognitive consequences of social exclusion. We examine how various social disconnection interventions involving friends and unknown peers might mitigate social exclusion by buffering (intervening before) and by promoting recovery (intervening after). Methods We present an integrative data analysis (IDA) of five studies (N = 664) that systematically exposed participants to exclusion (vs. inclusion) social dynamics. Using a well-validated paradigm, participants had a virtual interaction with two other people. Unbeknownst to participants, the other people’s behavior was programmed to either behave inclusively toward the participant or for one to behave exclusively. Critically, our social disconnection interventions experimentally manipulated whether a friend was present (vs. an unknown peer vs. being alone), the nature of interpersonal engagement (having a face-to-face conversation vs. a reminder of an upcoming interaction vs. mere presence), and the timing of the intervention in relation to the social dynamic (before vs. during vs. after). We then assessed participants’ in-the-moment affective and cognitive responses, which included mood, feelings of belonging, sense of control, and social comfort. Results Experiencing exclusion (vs. inclusion) led to negative affective and cognitive consequences. However, engaging in a face-to-face conversation with a friend before the exclusion lessened its impact (p < .001). Moreover, a face-to-face conversation with a friend after exclusion, and even a reminder of an upcoming interaction with a friend, sped-up recovery (ps < .001). There was less conclusive evidence that a face-to-face conversation with an unknown peer, or that the mere presence of a friend or unknown peer, conferred protective benefits. Conclusions The findings provide support for the effectiveness of social disconnection interventions that involve actual (i.e., face-to-face) or symbolic (i.e., reminders) interactions with friends. These interventions target momentary vulnerabilities that arise from social exclusion by addressing negative affect and cognitions before or after they emerge. As such, they offer a promising approach to primary prevention prior to the onset of loneliness and social isolation.

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Relational diversity in social portfolios predicts well-being

Cited by 19 publications

References 72 publications

‘My parkrun friends.’ A qualitative study of social experiences of men at parkrun in Ireland

‘My parkrun friends.’ A qualitative study of social experiences of men at parkrun in Ireland

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on postpartum mothers in London, England: An online focus group study

Mitigating the affective and cognitive consequences of social exclusion: an integrative data analysis of seven social disconnection interventions

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