Correlating Post-disaster Support Network Density with Reciprocal Support Relation Satisfaction: An Elderly Cohort Within One Year of the 2011 Japan Disasters

• Published in: Population research and policy review Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 923 - 939
• Main Authors: Lebowitz, Adam Jon, Sato, Shinji, Aiba, Miyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SPRINGER 01-12-2018; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Convergent validity; Correlation analysis; Criteria; Demography; Density; Density measurement; Disaster relief; Disasters; Earthquakes; Fishing; Fishing communities; Geriatrics; Health education; Interpersonal relationship satisfaction; Inventory; Measurement; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mental health promotion; Natural disasters; Nuclear accidents; Nuclear energy; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Older people; ORIGINAL RESEARCH; Population Economics; Questionnaires; Reciprocity; Responses; Satisfaction; Seismic activity; Social capital; Social interactions; Social networks; Social organization; Social Sciences; Social support; Sociology; Support networks; Symptomology; Trauma; Fukushima Japan; Japan; Disaster; Reciprocity; Network density; Morbidity; Social support
• ISSN: 0167-5923; 1573-7829
• DOI: 10.1007/s11113-018-9498-9

While there has been much empirical investigation into how social support networks improve mental health in post-disaster communities, network density—the extent members within a network are acquainted—remains under-researched. This study examines correlations between support network density and support reciprocity satisfaction in an elderly sample (N = 221), and the influence on post-disaster depression and trauma symptomology in a fishing community south of the Fukushima nuclear plant within 1 year of the March 11, 2011 Japan earthquake. The Brief Inventory of Social Support Exchange Network (BISSEN) taps support network density, support source by relational category, tangible and emotional type, and providing or receiving direction of social support. Density measurement convergent validity was established from questionnaire responses. After confirming network density construct and criteria validity, and extracting components reciprocal support relationship satisfaction, correlation between these two variables was moderate at r = 0.34. However, reciprocity satisfaction moderately explained mental health variance, but results were not significant for density nor interaction between predictors. These results question the assumption that support network density and support reciprocity can be validly incorporated into a construct of "social capital" necessarily promoting mental health.