Macrolevel stressors and mental health: The role of chronic strains, social isolation, and personal control

• In Event: 3129 - Section on Medical Sociology Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 19. Contextual Effects on Mental Health

Abstract

This study develops the argument that the stress and coping paradigm has paid inadequate attention to macro-level stressor exposure. Using data from a nationally-representative survey, we conducted SEM analysis to examine potential linkages between macro-level stressor exposure and personal experiences of chronic strains, social isolation, personal control, and psychological distress. We also tested the hypothesis that greater macro-level stressor exposure is associated with greater chronic strains and social isolation and lower personal control, and that these linkages help account for the association of macro-level stressor exposure with psychological distress. Findings demonstrate the mental health significance of macro-level stressors, and the important linkage of macro-level stressors with chronic strains, social isolation, and personal control. Findings will be discussed in the context of scholarship describing the social policy implications of differential macro-level stressor exposure (e.g., Aneshensel 2009; Thoits 2010).

Authors

• Myles Moody, University of Kentucky

• Robyn Lewis Brown, University of Kentucky

• Judith A. Richman, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Kathleen M. Rospenda, University of Illinois at Chicago