TY - JOUR
T1 - Positive Influences of Social Support on Sense of Community, Life Satisfaction and the Health of Immigrants in Spain
AU - Hombrados-Mendieta, Isabel
AU - Millán-Franco, Mario
AU - Gómez-Jacinto, Luis
AU - Gonzalez-Castro, Felipe
AU - Martos-Méndez, María José
AU - García-Cid, Alba
N1 - Funding Information:
This article was made possible by grants from the Spanish Economy and Competitiveness Ministry: Project I+D: PSI2013-40508-P and Project I+D: PSI2017-85941-R.
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2019 Hombrados-Mendieta, Millán-Franco, Gómez-Jacinto, Gonzalez-Castro, Martos-Méndez and García-Cid.
PY - 2019/11/15
Y1 - 2019/11/15
N2 - The main objective of this study was to investigate the association of social support and the sense of community (SOC) with satisfaction with life (SWL) and immigrant health. We propose a model in which perceived social support from close sources (family and friends), as mediated by SOC and life satisfaction, would be positively associated with mental and physical health. Limited evidence exists from multivariate models that concurrently examine the association of both factors with SWL and health-related outcomes. We investigate the hypothesized association in a structural equations model (SEM) analysis. The participants consisted of 1131 immigrants (49% men and 51% women) (age 18–70, M = 33). The study was conducted in Malaga (Spain). Cross-sectional data were collected using a random-route sampling and survey methodology. In this model, greater social support from native friends was associated with a greater SOC. Social support from family and native friends was associated with greater SWL. Also, a greater SOC was associated with greater SWL. No association was found between SOC and mental health symptoms, whereas, greater SWL was associated with fewer mental health and illness symptoms. These results suggest that among immigrants, support networks involving family and native friends, and integration into the community are important influences for immigrants to achieve life satisfaction. These results are widely applicable and have implications that are relevant to the design of health promotion interventions.
AB - The main objective of this study was to investigate the association of social support and the sense of community (SOC) with satisfaction with life (SWL) and immigrant health. We propose a model in which perceived social support from close sources (family and friends), as mediated by SOC and life satisfaction, would be positively associated with mental and physical health. Limited evidence exists from multivariate models that concurrently examine the association of both factors with SWL and health-related outcomes. We investigate the hypothesized association in a structural equations model (SEM) analysis. The participants consisted of 1131 immigrants (49% men and 51% women) (age 18–70, M = 33). The study was conducted in Malaga (Spain). Cross-sectional data were collected using a random-route sampling and survey methodology. In this model, greater social support from native friends was associated with a greater SOC. Social support from family and native friends was associated with greater SWL. Also, a greater SOC was associated with greater SWL. No association was found between SOC and mental health symptoms, whereas, greater SWL was associated with fewer mental health and illness symptoms. These results suggest that among immigrants, support networks involving family and native friends, and integration into the community are important influences for immigrants to achieve life satisfaction. These results are widely applicable and have implications that are relevant to the design of health promotion interventions.
KW - immigrants
KW - mental health problems
KW - physical illness
KW - satisfaction with life
KW - sense of community
KW - social support
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U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02555
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02555
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85076011337
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 10
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
M1 - 2555
ER -