Researchers have long noticed an association between social relationships and health. More recently, a vast and growing literature has developed, linking various forms of social support to hypertension, often even suggestive of a causal relationship. A detailed survey of this literature is presented, followed by a review of possible psychosocial and physiological explanations for the phenomena....

This research was conducted to examine the mediating effect of perceived social support between perceived stress and job satisfaction among employees. A conveniently selected sample of 280 employees provided the information on Perceived Social Support Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Job Satisfaction Survey. Employing Regression analyses, findings revealed the significant negative effect of p...

Optimism is an important determinant of mental and physical health, in particular when people are confronted with stressful situations. Social support has been proposed as a mechanism which mediates these beneficial health effects of optimism. It has been proposed that optimists are more socially attractive than pessimists, and as a consequence, they are provided with more social support (e.g. ...

Inequality between Whites and Blacks has fluctuated since the 1970’s, when a number of technological and structural changes in the economy adversely affected Blacks. In this ‘information age’, researchers concerned with inequality have coined the term ‘digital divide’ to signify the effects of exclusion from these powerful new information technologies. As increasing numbers of Americans have go...

This paper reports on the relationship between dimensions of control (skill discretion and decision authority) and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment) among 164 human service workers. It examines the diVerential in ̄ uence of job demands, control (skill discretion and decision authority) and social support (supervisor, co-workers, others) on eac...

Despite wide recognition that social security is a basic human right, fewer that 10 percent of people in the poorest countries have social security coverage. This has an enormous impact on their lives and on work itself. What little earning power the impoverished have is further suppressed by marginalization and lack of support systems – particularly when they are unable to work because of age,...

Collective kitchens are small groups of people who pool their resources to cook large quantities of food. Over the last twenty years, hundreds of groups have been formed across Canada. However, collective kitchens vary considerably in structure, purpose, and format. This study of collective kitchens in three Canadian cities found that the social benefits are foremost for participants, particula...

In Europe and in America there is a growing recognition of the need for theory, research, and applied programs that contribute to both community and youth resiliency. This article seeks to build on previous theory and literature to provide a conceptual framework for understanding the mechanisms for linking community and youth resiliency. Included is a review of youth development literature focu...

This paper draws on a recent household survey to examine the incidence and depth of poverty in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. It replicates the Multidimensional Poverty Index recently developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. This represents the first time that the Multidimensional Poverty Index is calculated for the Solomon Islands and the first time that it is report...