SOCIAL NETWORK MEDIATION OF ANXIETY

• NCJ Number: 67466
• Journal: Psychiatric Annals Volume: 9 Issue: 9 Dated: (1979) Pages: 56-57,61-67
• Author(s): E M PATTISON; R LLAMAS; G HURD
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): AA03506-01A1
• Sponsoring Agency: New York City Dept of Probation
• Corporate Author: Insight Publishing Co, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE EXPLORES THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AS A MAJOR VARIABLE IN THE MEDIATION OF ANXIETY AND SUGGESTS THAT ANXIETY IS CRITICALLY RELATED TO THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT (THE 'PERSONAL PSYCHOSOCIAL NETWORK').

Abstract

THE SOCIAL OR PERSONAL NETWORK OF AN INDIVIDUAL CONSISTS OF THOSE PERSONS DEEMED MOST IMPORTANT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL, USUALLY ABOUT 25 PERSONS. THE SOCIAL NETWORK MAY DEFINE EVENTS AS STRESSORS OR NONSTRESSORS AND MAY OFFER NORMATIVE EXPECTATIONS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING STRESS. ALSO, IT MAY AUGMENT OR DIMINISH A PERSON'S IDIOSYNCRATIC PERCEPTION AND LABELING OF EVENTS AND MAY INTERFERE OR ASSIST THE PERSON'S COPING RESPONSE TO STRESS. MOREOVER, THE INTERACTIONS OF THE SOCIAL NETWORK ITSELF MAY BE A SOURCE OF STRESS. STUDIES INDICATE THAT CORRELATIONS EXIST BETWEEN SOCIAL NETWORK STRUCTURES AND PERSONS' PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING. THE PATTISON PSYCHOLOGICAL INVENTORY, DEVISED TO STUDY THE PERSONAL PSYCHOSOCIAL NETWORK, DEMONSTRATES HOW THE NORMAL PERSONAL SOCIAL NETWORK MAY BE STRESS REDUCING AND ANXIETY AMELIORATING, WHILE THE NEUROTIC AND PSYCHOTIC TYPES OF SOCIAL NETWORKS NOT ONLY FAIL TO HELP THE INDIVIDUAL COPE WITH STRESS BUT, BECAUSE OF THEIR VERY STRUCTURES, TEND TO PROMOTE AND PERPETUATE MALADAPTIVE COPING BEHAVIOR, THUS GENERATING ANXIETY INSTEAD OF ALLEVIATING IT. NORMAL NETWORKS MAY ALSO GENERATE STRESS AND CONFLICT, BUT THE NORMAL NETWORK TENDS TO BE 'SELF-CORRECTING' (INSOFAR AS NETWORK-GENERATED STRESS IS CONCERNED). DATA SUGGEST THAT DYSFUNCTIONAL PATHOLOGIC NETWORKS GENERATE PSYCHOPATHOLOGIC BEHAVIOR AND THAT, CONCURRENTLY, THE INDIVIDUAL CREATES HIS/HER OWN DYSFUNCTIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK, WITH THE RESULT THAT BOTH PROCESSES FEED INTO EACH OTHER. THE PROCESS OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, IT IS SUGGESTED, INCLUDES SKILLS IN SOCIAL NETWORK CONSTRUCTION. THUS, A PERSON WHO LEARNS HOW TO CREATE AND PARTICIPATE IN EFFECTIVE SOCIAL NETWORKS WILL BE AT LESS RISK OF DEVELOPING PSYCHOPATHOLOGIC SYMPTOMS THAN A PERSON WHO DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A NETWORK. ONE TABLE AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)