Bonnie M. Hagerty

Sense of belonging: A vital mental health concept

Sense of belonging is a concept that has not been researched in psychiatric nursing practice. Using a concept-analysis strategy proposed by Walker and Avant, the authors present a detailed description of the concept that evolved from a series of inductive and deductive strategies. Sense of belonging is defined as the experience of personal involvement in a system or environment so that persons feel themselves to be an integral part of that system or environment. Sense of belonging has important applicability for clinical use as well as continued theory development in psychiatric nursing.

Sense of belonging and indicators of social and psychological functioning

Sense of belonging has recently been described and defined as one specific interpersonal process that influences health. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between sense of belonging and personal characteristics and selected indicators of social and psychological functioning in men and women. Using a sample of 379 community college students, sense of belonging was examined in relation to social support, conflict, involvement in community activities, attendance at religious services, loneliness, depression, anxiety, history of psychiatric treatment, and suicidality. Results indicated that sense of belonging is closely related to indicators of both social and psychological functioning. These relationships were generally stronger for women than for men. It appears that sense of belonging is a useful concept pertinent to exploration of social and psychological functioning.

The effects of sense of belonging, social support, conflict, and loneliness on depression.

BACKGROUND A number of interpersonal phenomena have been linked to depression, including sense of belonging, social support, conflict, and loneliness. OBJECTIVES To examine the effects of the interpersonal phenomena of sense of belonging, social support, loneliness, and conflict on depression, and to describe the predictive value of sense of belonging for depression in the context of other interpersonal phenomenon. METHOD A sample of clients with major depressive disorder and students in a midwestern community college participated in the study by completing questionnaires. RESULTS Path analysis showed significant direct paths as postulated, with 64% of the variance of depression explained by the variables in the model. Social support had only an indirect effect on depression, and this finding supported the buffer theory of social support. Sense of belonging was a better predictor of depression. CONCLUSIONS The study findings emphasize the importance of relationship-oriented experiences as part of assessment and intervention strategies for individuals with depression.

Developing a Measure Of Sense of Belonging

The purpose of this study was to develop and test psychometrically a self-report instrument designed to measure sense of belonging in adults. The Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI) is a 27-item, self-report instrument consisting of two separately scored scales, SOBI-P (psychological state) and SOBI-A (antecedents). Content validity was assessed by a panel of experts. Construct validity, internal consistency, and retest reliability were examined through a series of studies with three subject groups: community college students, patients in treatment for major depression, and Roman Catholic nuns. Results suggest that SOBI-P is a valid and reliable measure of sense of belonging. SOBI-A appears to reflect an individuals motivation for sense of belonging but requires additional study regarding its construct validity and internal consistency.

Acute Effects of Noise on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate

The authors assessed the acute effects of exposure to noise on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate, among 46 workers in a midwestern auto assembly plant. Workers wore ambulatory blood pressure monitors and personal noise dosimeters during one work shift. After adjustment for covariates of cardiovascular function, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, along with heart rate, were shown to be significantly positively associated with noise exposure. Although the long-term effect of these associations is not known, results from other studies suggest that they may be harmful. Replication of this study with a larger number of subjects, monitored for several days and in a variety of work settings, is recommended to verify these findings. The results of this and other studies imply that reducing acute noise exposure reduces cardiovascular stress.

Sense of belonging as a buffer against depressive symptoms

BACKGROUND: Lack of a sense of belonging has been shown to be associated with loneliness, emotional distress, psychosocial disturbance, and mental illness. Conversely, sense of belonging was found to correspond with psychosocial health. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the buffering effect of sense of belonging against the development of depression. STUDY DESIGN: This study used a comparative design. The sample consisted of 443 Navy recruits in basic training who were divided into depressed and control groups based on depressive symptoms. The groups were then further stratified based on risk factors: a personal history of abuse and family histories of mental illness, alcohol, and drug abuse. RESULTS: The results refuted a significant buffering effect of sense of belonging against the development of depressive symptoms in several of the subgroups. However, sense of belonging significantly buffered those with a family history of alcohol abuse against developing depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Sense of belonging is a concept that has important implications for psychosocial well being. Interventions that enhance sense of belonging will be useful in the treatment and primary prevention of depression.

A Conceptual Framework for the Study of Preservice Professional Programs in Colleges and Universities.

Students in colleges and universities seeking preservice preparation for professional careers now outnumber those pursuing liberal studies. This enrollment pattern challenges college and university administrators, even in some colleges formerly devoted to liberal arts, to become familiar with an increasingly diverse set of programs. Because professional preparation programs vary so greatly on dimensions such as educational goals, expected outcomes, teaching methods, student time commitment, relations with practitioners, and even educational level (baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate), it is not easy for administrators to develop a working understanding of each of them.

Changes in directed attention and short-term memory in depression

This study examined changes in directed attention and short-term memory in depression using a newly constructed battery of computerized measures. A repeated measures design was used with two sample groups; 25 individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for Major Depression and a group-matched comparison sample of 27. Both groups were tested at three points in time over a 10-week period. Test-retest reliability of the measures was examined. Profile analysis demonstrated that there were differences between the depressed and comparison groups in both directed attention and short-term memory. Recommendations for specific improvements in the testing battery are discussed. The ability to detect changes in directed attention and short-term memory may have clinical utility in early detection of impending onset of depression or subtle residual symptoms of an acute episode that may impair functioning or signal a relapse.

Chronic effects of workplace noise on blood pressure and heart rate

Abstract Environmental noise levels in the United States are increasing, yet there are few studies in which the nonauditory effects of workplace noise are assessed. In the current study, the authors examined chronic effects of noise on blood pressure and heart rate in 374 workers at an automobile plant. Data were collected from subjects prior to the start of their workshift. Participants completed questionnaires about diet, alcohol use, lifestyle, noise annoyance, use of hearing protection, noise exposure outside of the work environment, personal and family health histories, and demographic information. Resting blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index were obtained. Noise exposure levels were extracted retrospectively from company records for each participant for the past 5 yr. Summary statistics were generated for each variable, and the authors performed bivariate correlations to identify any unadjusted associations. The authors then completed statistical modeling to investigate the effects of noise on blood pressure and heart rate, after they controlled for other variables (e.g., gender, race, age). The authors controlled for confounding variables, after which use of hearing protection in high-noise areas was a significant predictor of a decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The results suggested that the reduction of noise exposure by means of engineering controls or by consistent use of hearing protection by workers may positively affect health outcomes.

Development and testing of the Diabetes Self-management Instrument: a confirmatory analysis.

The purpose of this study was to develop and psychometrically test a new instrument for measuring self-management of adults with type 2 diabetes. Data were collected from 634 diabetic adults recruited from three teaching hospitals in Taiwan. Construct validity was determined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Tests of internal consistency and test-retest were used to assess the reliability of the diabetes self-management instrument (DSMI). Initial results of CFA did not fully support the proposed five-factor model. After the model was modified, the fit indices indicated that this model fits the data best. This model was further cross validated in a second sample. Cronbachs alpha coefficient of the DSMI total scale was .94. The test-retest correlations for the DSMI total scale were acceptable (r = .73, p < .01).