Social Connectedness & Health

Question 1

What is social capital?

Answer 1

the ability to draw upon social resources in one’s community via relationships w others

Question 2

What is social capital linked directly with?

Answer 2

economic capital (transportation) = health inequalities component to the r/s between social connectdeness and health

Question 3

What did the European perspective. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2012 say ?

Answer 3

There is an important psychological aspect to social capital

Question 4

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the UK government’s Sure Start children’s centres were an
attempt to increase, what?

Answer 4

the social capital of parents from more marginalised and vulnerable communities.

Question 5

Whats another important component in social capital?

Answer 5

Social Identity

Question 6

How do social psychologists study social identity?

Answer 6

by studying:
- the group we belong to
- understanding what our group memberships
means to us

Question 7

Alex Haslam & colleagues & social identity - did research how?

Answer 7

Showing how group membership affects aspects of psychological wellbeinig (mood, efficacy and esteem) - how this affects the way we engage in health behaviours (excercise) - respond to symptoms, seek help, navigate healthcare and so on

Question 8

What do we mean by connectedness?

Answer 8

Who you connect w?
- Friends
- Colleagues
- Partners
- Family
When you connect?
- Peer support social prescribing and the other
interventions
Where you belong?
- Social Identity?
-

Question 9

Understanding loneliness (Peplau & Perlman 1982, 1998)

Answer 9

There are three factors:
1. Underlaying factors
2. Event or life triggers
3. Personal thoughts & feelings

Question 10

Examples of underlaying factors

Answer 10

These = shape our expectations and needs for r/s and our actual r/s
Social & Cultural influencecs
Identity and personality
Situation

Question 11

Events or life stage triggers

Answer 11

These can change the balance between the r/s we have and those we would like to have:
Moving to a new town
Losing your job
Losing a loved one

Question 12

Personal thoughts and feelings

Answer 12

These shape how we see people and their situation and the intensity of their feelings
Is it something to do w me or external?
Is it within my control
Is it likely to lost

Question 13

what do the UK govt source describe loneliness

Answer 13

A subjective, unwelcome feeling of lack or loss of compainionship - it happens when we have mismatch between the quantity and quality of social relationships that we have & those that we want

Question 14

What are the mechanisims through which social r/s may affect health?

Answer 14

• affect (arousal, motivation, valence, mood)
• identity (self-esteem, participation, stigma)
• cognition (risk, help seeking, problem solivng)

Question 15

What are the factors that may promote or inhibit the developpment and maintenance of social relationships?

Answer 15

• Traits / state prefernces (neurodiversity, introversion, telicity)
• Prior experiences and learning (emotional regulation, relational literacy, perspective taking, attachment style)
• Opportunity and social capital
• Identity and group memberships

Question 16

Where can we intervene?

Answer 16

• Early years services & schools

Question 17

Intervention with children and families

Answer 17

Meet basic needs - scaffold supportive parenting & reduce exposure to trauma, intervene early in any social anciety & create conditions in which children thrive, healthy attachments develop & ppl = grow into adults who can manage their relationships ad participate in social groups

• Health and social care services & community organisations

Question 18

Interventions with adults

Answer 18

Psychological theraphy (social anciety & dep), peer support, social prescribing, social secyrity, community resoources and activities ( walking groups, allotments etc)

Question 19

What are the types of interventions

Answer 19

Seminars

Question 20

How can social relationships have an effect on our health?

Answer 20

• Reduce loneliness
• Emotional / affecr - mood & motivation
• Identity (development?) - self esteem & participation
• Cognition - help-seeking, risk & problem solving

Question 21

How might we explore connectedness?

Answer 21

Naturally via conversations
Through theraphy
Through qualitative interviewing

Question 22

What is relational mapping?

Answer 22

Used in qualitative data collection
Designed to support participants to express & reflect upon complexity, subtlety and intensity of their relational experience (at times of disruption & distress) - Boden