Mixed Methods for Research on Support Networks of People Experiencing Chronic Illness and Social Marginalization
Substantial research has focused on how social networks help individuals navigate the illness experience. Sociologists have begun to theorize beyond the binary of strong and weak social network ties (e.g., compartmental, elastic, and disposable ties), citing the social, economic, and health conditions that shape their formation. However, limited research has employed mixed social network methods, which we argue is especially critical for examining the “non-traditional” social support networks of marginalized individuals. We employ quantitative social network methods (i.e., the egocentric network approach) in addition to in-depth interviews and observations, with a novel tool for capturing network data about social groups, to surface these kinds of supportive relationships. Using the case of “nameless ties”—non-kin, non- provider ties who were unidentifiable by given name or were grouped by context or activity rather than individually distinguished—we show how mixed social network methods can illuminate supporters who are commonly overlooked when only using traditional social network analysis. We conclude with a proposal for mixed methods and group alter approaches to successfully observe liminal support ties that is ideal for research about individuals experiencing chronic disability, poverty, housing insecurity, and other forms of social marginalization.
This research is in collaboration with Tessa Napoles, Jeff Nicklas, Laura Pathak, Irene Yen, Dani Carrillo, Nancy Burke, Brea Perry, and Janet Shim and was recently published in Qualitative Health Research.
Social Support in the Urban Safety Net: Assessing Tie Activation Among Individuals with Complex Care Needs
Activating social ties is a critical mechanism for satisfying individuals’ social, emotional, and material needs. Researchers have offered a number of hypotheses around tie activation about when and why particular supporters step in to help, ranging from strategic activation via functional specificity to opportunistic mobilization. To date, few studies have examined multiple tie activation strategies in tandem. This project focuses on people facing complex, compounding health and social problems, who may have to rely on multiple forms of activation to get their support needs met. We draw on a sample of 92 participants who are affiliated with one of two Care Management programs in the Western United States. Using name generators in a survey, we elicit participants’ social networks and find they utilize a number of methods to secure critical support needs, including calling on kin ties to borrow money and help with daily tasks, relying on strong and proximal ties for almost all types of support, and using functional specificity for health support. We then draw on qualitative interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the ways alters provide support and why egos elicit support from some alters and not others. Future research should continue assessing this population’s social networks with the aim of leveraging social support to help manage chronic conditions, provide access to resources, and increase their sense of belonging.
This research is in collaboration with Tessa Napoles, Irene Yen, Laura Pathak, Jeff Nicklas, Janet Shim, and Brea Perry and was recently published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
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The Moderating Effect of Values on the Relationship between Subjective Social Status and Depression: Evidence from MIDUS
The relationship between subjective social status (SSS) and mental health and its underlying mechanisms remain an area of interest in the social sciences. Using data from the Midlife in the United States 2 (MIDUS 2), we examine how individual differences in valuing achievement and autonomy moderate the relationship between SSS and symptoms of depression. We find evidence of a moderation effect; there is a weaker relationship between SSS and depression for individuals who strongly hold the values of achievement or autonomy. In addition, at low levels of SSS, there are significant differences in the number of depression symptoms depending on personal values which are not seen at higher rungs of the SSS ladder, indicating a difference in this relationship dependent on how strongly one holds values of achievement and autonomy. We conclude by speculating on the mechanisms by which values shape the link between SSS and mental well-being and suggest future directions in studying values.
This research is in collaboration with Ben Gallati and was recently published in Society & Mental Health.