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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 8/2016

01-08-2016 | Original Paper

Family, friends, and 12-month PTSD among African Americans

Authors: Ann W. Nguyen, Linda M. Chatters, Robert Joseph Taylor, Debra Siegel Levine, Joseph A. Himle

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 8/2016

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Abstract

Purpose

Despite a growing literature on the influence of social support on mental health, little is known about the relationship between social support and specific psychiatric disorders for African Americans, such as PTSD. This study investigated the relationship between social support, negative interaction with family and 12-month PTSD among African Americans.

Methods

Analyses were based on a nationally representative sample of African Americans from the National Survey of American Life (n = 3315). Social support variables included emotional support from family, frequency of contact with family and friends, subjective closeness with family and friends, and negative interactions with family.

Results

Results indicated that emotional support from family is negatively associated with 12-month PTSD while negative interaction with family is predictive of 12-month PTSD. Additionally, a significant interaction indicated that high levels of subjective closeness to friends could offset the impact of negative family interactions on 12-month PTSD.

Conclusions

Overall, study results converged with previously established findings indicating that emotional support from family is associated with 12-month PTSD, while, negative interaction with family is associated with increased risk of 12-month PTSD. The findings are discussed in relation to prior research on the unique association between social support and mental health among African Americans.
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Metadata
Title
Family, friends, and 12-month PTSD among African Americans
Authors
Ann W. Nguyen
Linda M. Chatters
Robert Joseph Taylor
Debra Siegel Levine
Joseph A. Himle
Publication date
01-08-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 8/2016
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1239-y

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