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Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health
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Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 50757

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carlos María Alcover

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28032 Madrid, Spain
Interests: age, health and work; groups and identity in health and well-being; bridge employment and retirement; integration of people with disabilities in the labor market; exchange relationships in organizations and psychological contract
Dr. Gabriela Nazar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, 3349001 Concepción, Chile
Interests: aging, work and identity; health promotion; lifestyle behaviors;

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For decades, research from different disciplines has accumulated data and solid arguments that show an association between social factors and well-being and health. Such social factors include group membership, interpersonal and close relationships, intergroup relations, or social identities, which generate feelings of social integration, and opportunities for cooperation; provide social connectedness and social support networks; facilitate experiences of connection with the world; and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. In short, social bonds provide social resources and generate social capital.

Today's societies are facing important threats, such as the increase in life expectancy and the progressive aging of the population; the need to face the health, economic, and labor challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic; and the need to adopt healthy habits and lifestyles to reduce the risk of chronic, disabling, or fatal diseases. Individuals and societies can be more successful in coping with these threats if they are able to use their social resources derived from social bonds, group memberships, and social and personal identities.

The main objective of this Special Issue is to collect research conducted in organizational and labor, community, health, educational, family, and other contexts that analyzes the role played by the above-mentioned social resources in enhancing well-being and health. We welcome original articles of an empirical nature, results of programs and interventions, and meta-analytic or literature review studies, in these broad fields. In addition, multidisciplinary studies that address these psychosocial processes in a comprehensive manner will be especially valued. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the health and well-being of people by enhancing social resources as indispensable complements to the strategies of health care and public health.

Dr. Carlos María Alcover
Dr. Gabriela Nazar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social identity
  • group membership
  • social relationships
  • social support
  • psychosocial well-being and health
  • intergroup relations
  • social resources

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 511 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Sense of Belonging and Well-Being Outcomes in Emerging Adults with Care Experience
by Amanda Hiles Howard, Getrude Dadirai Gwenzi, Lindsey Newsom, Belay T. Gebru and Nicole Gilbertson Wilke
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(13), 6311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136311 - 7 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4221
Abstract
Robust social resources that lead to a healthy sense of belonging are imperative during emerging adulthood. However, young adults with alternative care experience, such as residential or foster care, often lack the social resources necessary to transition to adulthood successfully. Though some research [...] Read more.
Robust social resources that lead to a healthy sense of belonging are imperative during emerging adulthood. However, young adults with alternative care experience, such as residential or foster care, often lack the social resources necessary to transition to adulthood successfully. Though some research has examined the importance of social resources in this population, less is known about a sense of belonging, which is associated with these social resources. The current study examined the association between care experience, belonging, and well-being outcomes among emerging adults (n = 703) who were separated from their biological parents during care and received alternative care in 16 nations. The presence of belonging was associated with type of alternative care, age at separation, and reason for separation. There was also an association between belonging and well-being outcomes, including homelessness and suicidal ideation. Adults lacking a sense of belonging reported higher rates of homelessness and suicidal ideation, lower life satisfaction, and lower resilience. The study has global implications for enhancing social support for emerging adults with care experience in order to facilitate a sense of belonging as a social resource. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
19 pages, 1073 KiB  
Article
Psychosocial Processes in Healthcare Workers: How Individuals’ Perceptions of Interpersonal Communication Is Related to Patient Safety Threats and Higher-Quality Care
by Johanna Elisa Dietl, Christina Derksen, Franziska Maria Keller, Martina Schmiedhofer and Sonia Lippke
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(9), 5698; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095698 - 1 May 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5771
Abstract
Interpersonal communication, as a central form of social resource derived from social relations, is crucial for individuals coping with threats in the workplace, especially for hospitals that provide high-quality care and patient safety. Using social system mentalization as a theoretical background, we applied [...] Read more.
Interpersonal communication, as a central form of social resource derived from social relations, is crucial for individuals coping with threats in the workplace, especially for hospitals that provide high-quality care and patient safety. Using social system mentalization as a theoretical background, we applied psychosocial processes and a psychodynamic system approach to get insights on how healthcare workers interact with team members and patients. The goal was to test the following hypotheses: H1: Better communication is associated with fewer patient safety threats (H1a) and higher-quality care (H1b). H2: The associations between communication and patient safety threats (H2a) and higher-quality care (H2b) are mediated by psychological safety. In this two-studies design, we conducted a cross-sectional hospital survey (N = 129) and a survey of obstetric team members (N = 138) in Germany. Simple mediation analyses were run. Results revealed that communication is associated with safety performance. Further, the mediating effect of psychological safety between communication and safety performance was demonstrated. These findings contribute to an understanding of social relation representations, as individuals’ communication interrelates with safety performance mediated by psychological safety to complement healthcare and public health strategies. With a better understanding of communication and psychological safety, tools, routines, and concrete trainings can be designed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
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11 pages, 362 KiB  
Article
Confucianism and Gender Ratios of Suicide in the World: A WHO Data-Based Study
by Wei Wang, Jie Zhang and Wayne L. Thompson
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2188; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032188 - 25 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4073
Abstract
This study explores how Confucianism affects suicide rates by gender. Data for the study come from the World Health Organization document “Suicide Worldwide in 2019”, which provides frequency and gender ratios for suicide rates in 183 member countries. One-way ANOVA and multiple linear [...] Read more.
This study explores how Confucianism affects suicide rates by gender. Data for the study come from the World Health Organization document “Suicide Worldwide in 2019”, which provides frequency and gender ratios for suicide rates in 183 member countries. One-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis were used to examine potential differences in suicide rates and male to female ratio of suicides. Independent variables include region, income level, culture, and Confucian values that may be related to suicide. Suicide rates for Confucian countries do not show significant differences from European countries. However, these countries have lower suicide gender ratios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
12 pages, 349 KiB  
Article
Mourners’ Dissatisfaction with Funerals May Influence Their Subsequent Medical/Welfare Expenses—A Nationwide Survey in Japan
by Carl B. Becker, Yozo Taniyama, Noriko Sasaki, Megumi Kondo-Arita, Shinya Yamada and Kayoko Yamamoto
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010486 - 2 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3432
Abstract
Japan’s super-aged mortality rate bereaves millions of people annually, threatening the mental health of the bereaved population. Previous research suggests that participation in satisfying funeral rituals can protect or improve the health of a bereaved population—but pandemic restrictions threaten traditional funeral assemblies. To [...] Read more.
Japan’s super-aged mortality rate bereaves millions of people annually, threatening the mental health of the bereaved population. Previous research suggests that participation in satisfying funeral rituals can protect or improve the health of a bereaved population—but pandemic restrictions threaten traditional funeral assemblies. To determine how bereaved mourners’ mental health—and consequent dependence upon medical, pharmaceutical, or social services—are affected by funerals and the aspects of funerals most likely to cause satisfaction or dissatisfaction, we conducted an anonymous nationwide survey across Japan. In total, 1078 bereaved Japanese responded; we analyzed their responses by comparing the 106 citing funeral dissatisfaction with the 972 citing no dissatisfaction. The cohort showing greatest satisfaction with funerals tended to be older widows or parents who lost children; they showed greater grief but spent less on medical, pharmaceutical, or social services thereafter than the dissatisfied. Conversely, mourners with the greatest dissatisfaction toward their interactions with funeral directors and Buddhist priests tended to spend more on medical, pharmaceutical, or social services after bereavement. We conclude that training or education to improve priests’ and funeral directors’ interactions may reduce dissatisfaction with funerals, potentially reducing subsequent costs of medical, pharmaceutical, or social services for the rapidly growing population of bereaved Japanese. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
12 pages, 785 KiB  
Article
Consequences of Perceived Personal and Group Discrimination against People with Hearing and Visual Impairments
by Daniel Pérez-Garín, Patricia Recio and Fernando Molero
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(17), 9064; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179064 - 27 Aug 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3286
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to examine the consequences of perceived discrimination in people with hearing and visual impairments. Using path analysis, we attempted to validate a multigroup model in which perceived personal discrimination is associated with internalization of stigma, which, [...] Read more.
The main objective of this study was to examine the consequences of perceived discrimination in people with hearing and visual impairments. Using path analysis, we attempted to validate a multigroup model in which perceived personal discrimination is associated with internalization of stigma, which, in turn, is negatively related to self-esteem; conversely, perceived discrimination against the in-group contributes to enhanced group identification, which promotes the intention to engage in collective action, which, in turn, has beneficial effects on self-esteem. The sample consisted of a total of 200 Spanish-speaking participants, of whom 104 had hearing impairments and 96 had visual impairments. The results showed that the proposed multigroup model fit the data well. For both groups, internalized stigma played a mediating role in the relationship between perceived personal discrimination and self-esteem. However, the pathway from group discrimination to self-esteem was not as clearly supported by the data. The results are interpreted from a psychosocial perspective and may contribute to design interventions aimed at improving the well-being of people with hearing and visual impairments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
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14 pages, 1661 KiB  
Article
Subjective Well-Being and Parenthood in Chile
by Consuelo Novoa, Claudio Bustos, Vasily Bühring, Karen Oliva, Darío Páez, Pablo Vergara-Barra and Félix Cova
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7408; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147408 - 11 Jul 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3274
Abstract
Being a parent plays an important role in people’s life trajectory and identity. Though the general cultural perception is that having children is a source of subjective well-being, there is evidence that, at least in some societies, the subjective well-being of those who [...] Read more.
Being a parent plays an important role in people’s life trajectory and identity. Though the general cultural perception is that having children is a source of subjective well-being, there is evidence that, at least in some societies, the subjective well-being of those who are parents is worse, in some aspects, than that of those who are not. This gap has been the object of interest and controversy. The aim of this study was to compare Chilean adults with and without children in a broad set of well-being indicators, controlling for other sociodemographic variables. A public national probabilistic database was used. The results show that, in terms of positive and negative affect, those who are not parents achieve greater well-being than those who have children. Other results also pointed in that direction. The implications of the social context and gender, which are aspects that pose a burden for the exercise of parenthood in Chile, are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
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16 pages, 1473 KiB  
Article
Constructing Well-Being in Organizations: First Empirical Results on Job Crafting, Personality Traits, and Insight
by Alessio Gori, Alessandro Arcioni, Eleonora Topino, Letizia Palazzeschi and Annamaria Di Fabio
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6661; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126661 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4853
Abstract
The construct of job crafting is gaining increasing attention in the research and practice of work psychology in light of the positive effects it has on workers and the organizational context. On this basis, the present study aimed to explore the associations between [...] Read more.
The construct of job crafting is gaining increasing attention in the research and practice of work psychology in light of the positive effects it has on workers and the organizational context. On this basis, the present study aimed to explore the associations between the Big Five personality traits and job crafting (and its subdimensions, individual job crafting and collaborative job crafting), as well as investigating the role of insight in mediating these relationships. A sample of 159 Italian workers took part in the study and completed the self-report measures. Results showed a positive association between extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness and job crafting (total), individual job crafting, and collaborative job crafting, with significant mediations of insight orientation. Openness was positively associated with job crafting (total) and individual job crafting, but not with the collaborative subdimension, with insight orientation that mediated existing relationships. Emotional stability and job crafting (total) or its subdimensions were found to have no significant relationships. These findings suggest that insight orientation could represent a promising resource for job crafting, both in terms of primary prevention, strength-based prevention, and healthy organizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
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13 pages, 870 KiB  
Article
Ethnic Identity as a Mediator of the Relationship between Discrimination and Psychological Well-Being in South—South Migrant Populations
by Alfonso Urzúa, Alejandra Caqueo-Urízar, Diego Henríquez, Marcos Domic, Daniel Acevedo, Sebastian Ralph, Gonzalo Reyes and Diego Tang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2359; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052359 - 28 Feb 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4515
Abstract
There is abundant evidence about the negative impact of discrimination on well-being, but less research on factors that can reduce this negative effect, mainly focused on North American samples and with incipient development on South–South migration. The objective of this research was to [...] Read more.
There is abundant evidence about the negative impact of discrimination on well-being, but less research on factors that can reduce this negative effect, mainly focused on North American samples and with incipient development on South–South migration. The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of ethnic identity on the relationship between the experience of racial and ethnic discrimination and psychological well-being in Colombian immigrants living in Chile. A total of 962 immigrants over the age of 18 from three cities in Chile participated. Of these, 50.7% were women. The average age was 35 years (SD = 10.23). Participants were evaluated using Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scales, Phinney’s adapted version of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Scale, and Krieger’s Discrimination Experience Scale. After the analysis of the measurement models, a mediation model was analyzed using structural equations. The results provide evidence that ethnic and racial discrimination have negative effects on psychological well-being, with the effect of racial discrimination being greater. Likewise, ethnic identity has positive effects on psychological well-being and partially and completely mediates the effects of ethnic and racial discrimination on psychological well-being. The full effect of discrimination on psychological well-being, mediated by ethnic identity, is exercised only by racial discrimination and not by ethnic discrimination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
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13 pages, 394 KiB  
Article
Effects of Resilience and Acculturation Stress on Integration and Social Competence of Migrant Children and Adolescents in Northern Chile
by Alejandra Caqueo-Urízar, Alfonso Urzúa, Carolang Escobar-Soler, Jerome Flores, Patricio Mena-Chamorro and Ester Villalonga-Olives
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042156 - 23 Feb 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4822
Abstract
Migration in Chile has increased exponentially in recent years, with education being one of the main focuses of attention in this cultural transformation. Integration and social competence in the migrant population are determined by several factors. The aim of this study is to [...] Read more.
Migration in Chile has increased exponentially in recent years, with education being one of the main focuses of attention in this cultural transformation. Integration and social competence in the migrant population are determined by several factors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential effects of resilience and acculturation stress on the levels of integration and social competence in migrant students in Northern Chile. In total, 292 school children of both genders aged 8 to 18, from the fourth grade to senior year of high school, participated in the investigation. A subscale of the Child and Adolescent Assessment System (Sistema de evaluación de niños y adolescentes SENA) was used to assess integration and social competence. Additionally, the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12) and the Acculturation Stress Source Scale (FEAC) were used. The results show that integration and social competence have statistically significant and direct associations with resilience (p < 0.001) and indirect associations with acculturation stress (p = 0.009). Both constructs could be defined as protection and risk factors, respectively, and should be considered in educational contexts to favor adaptation in the integration of migrant children and adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
14 pages, 387 KiB  
Article
Social Support and Peer Group Integration of Adolescents with Diabetes
by María de los Ángeles Núñez-Baila, Anjhara Gómez-Aragón and José Rafael González-López
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 2064; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042064 - 20 Feb 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4941
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine, through the roles of peers with regards to diabetes, the relationship between the support perceived by adolescents with diabetes and their peer-group affiliation. This is a descriptive, phenomenological and retrospective study based on a qualitative [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to examine, through the roles of peers with regards to diabetes, the relationship between the support perceived by adolescents with diabetes and their peer-group affiliation. This is a descriptive, phenomenological and retrospective study based on a qualitative methodology. In-depth interviews with 15 people aged 18–35 with type 1 diabetes mellitus diagnosed in their childhood or adolescence were carried out. Data was analyzed through the interpretation of general discourses. Peers have considerable influence on adolescents and provide them social support from different roles. The protective role basically offers emotional support and sends reminders of different aspects of the treatment, while the indifferent role does not meddle in any aspect related to the diabetes. Both roles can foster social integration of adolescents with diabetes into the peer group. The offender role creates social conflicts through discrimination and stigma of adolescents with diabetes. These roles appear during the process of socialization of adolescents with diabetes, where commensality and situations of self-monitoring or administering insulin, key aspect of diabetes treatment, are crucial. Peer groups, depending on the role adopted, may offer support or bring a specific conflict regarding diabetes to their adolescent peer. The combination of roles that friends and peer group play with regards to diabetes will determine the degree of socialization and integration of adolescents with diabetes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
14 pages, 1201 KiB  
Article
The Role of Filial Piety in the Relationships between Work Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention: A Moderated Mediation Model
by Jianfeng Li, Hongping Liu, Beatrice van der Heijden and Zhiwen Guo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(2), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020714 - 15 Jan 2021
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5754
Abstract
In China, filial piety, which usually refers to showing respect and obedience to parents, has exerted an important effect in the relationship between work stress and turnover intention. However, the mechanism behind this effect is still unclear. To address this gap in the [...] Read more.
In China, filial piety, which usually refers to showing respect and obedience to parents, has exerted an important effect in the relationship between work stress and turnover intention. However, the mechanism behind this effect is still unclear. To address this gap in the existing literature, we developed and tested a moderated mediation model of the relationship that work stress shares with job satisfaction and turnover intention. In accordance with the dual filial piety model and the stress-moderation model, our hypothesized model predicted that the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between work stress and turnover intention would be moderated by reciprocal filial piety (RFP) and authoritarian filial piety (AFP). The analytic results of data that were obtained from 506 employees of manufacturing industries in China supported this model. Specifically, RFP and AFP, as a contextualized personality construct, positively moderated the direct relationship between work stress and turnover intention as well as the corresponding indirect effect through job satisfaction. In particular, RFP and AFP strengthened the positive effect of work stress on turnover intention. Based on these findings, recommendations to help employees fulfill their filial duties and reduce the effect of work stress on turnover intention among employees of Chinese manufacturing industries are delineated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social, Group, and Identity Determinants of Well-Being and Health)
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