Social Support Network Characteristics of Incarcerated Women with Co-Occurring Major Depressive and Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

The nature of social support available to incarcerated women is not well understood, particularly among women at high risk of negative outcomes, including women dually-diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and a Substance Use Disorder (MDD-SUD). Descriptive statistics and paired-tests were conducted on 60 incarcerated MDD-SUD women receiving in-prison substance use and depression treatments to characterize the women’s social networks, including the strength of support, network characteristics, and types of support provided as well as to determine what aspects of social support may be amenable to change during incarceration and post-release. Study results showed that on average women perceived they had moderately supportive individuals in their lives, although more than a quarter of the sample could not identify any regular supporters in their network at baseline. During incarceration, women’s social networks significantly increased in general supportiveness, and decreased in network size and percentage of substance users in their networks. Participants maintained positive social support gains post-release in most areas while also significantly increasing the size of their support network post-release. Findings suggest that there are aspects of incarcerated MDD-SUD women’s social networks that are amenable to change during incarceration and post-release and provide insight into treatment targets for this vulnerable population.

A Moderated Mediation Model of HIV-Related Stigma, Depression, and Social Support on Health-Related Quality of Life among Incarcerated Malaysian Men with HIV and Opioid Dependence

“…Taken together, the social support of PLH has critical public health implications because it has a significant impact on health outcomes, including reducing depression, improving coping with their disease, increasing positive health behaviors, and slowing disease progression [30, 42]. It is, however, important to note that changes in social network during incarceration may reflect upon individuals’ strength of support, network characteristics, and the types of support offered or gained [35]. These factors may play different roles in an incarcerated PLH’s depression course, substance use recovery, overall treatment outcomes, and reentry efforts [35, 36, 43–45].…”

“…It is, however, important to note that changes in social network during incarceration may reflect upon individuals’ strength of support, network characteristics, and the types of support offered or gained [35]. These factors may play different roles in an incarcerated PLH’s depression course, substance use recovery, overall treatment outcomes, and reentry efforts [35, 36, 43–45]. …”

Assessment by multivariate analysis of family support

“…Family is named as the closest support network to opiate dependents and is characterized by strength of support, network characteristics and the types of support offered [27]. Religious knowledge is an important feature that needs to be owned by family members which may…”

Adolescent Social Networks: General and Smoking-Specific Characteristics Associated With Smoking

“…For example, there are differences between romantic partners who enable substance use and those who encourage cessation (Falkin & Strauss, 2003). Likewise, differential effects occur based on the extent to which network members support (vs. oppose) drinking and the extent to which they support (vs. oppose) alcohol treatment (Nargiso et al, 2014). Within the context of early cigarette use, research indicates that, compared with adolescent regular smokers, adolescent never-smokers perceived greater objections to their smoking from their social network (Fagan et al, 2001).…”