Social Relations and Mental Health

Abstract

It is believed that social support provided through continuing ties with relatives and friends fosters personal adjustment, mitigating the impact of life stress and role strain. Respondents from three European ethnic groups-Irish (N = 121), Italian (N = 141), and Polish (N= 121)-were administered measures of nature and extent of social ties, together with measures of life-event stress and both positive morale and psychological impairment. Findings show little relationship between availability of significant others and mental health, or that increased availability of others from the same ethnic group is associated with mental health. At least among women in the two most "socially bonded" groups (Italian and Polish), increased involvement with significant others was associated both with increased life stress and less than satisfactory personal adjustment.