Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe

Individual social capital, neighbourhood deprivation, and self-rated health in England

Individual social capital is increasingly considered to be an important determinant of an individuals health. This study examines the extent to which individual social capital is associated with self-rated health and the extent to which individual social capital mediates t.he relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and self-rated health in an English sample. Individual social capital was conceptualized and operationalized in both the social cohesion- and network resource tradition, using measures of generalized trust, social participation and social network resources. Network resources were measured with the position generator. Multilevel analyses were applied to wave 2 and 3 of the Taking Part Surveys of England, which consist of face-to-face interviews among the adult population in England (N(i) = 25,366 respondents, N(j) = 12,388 neighbourhoods). The results indicate that generalized trust, participation with friends and relatives and having network members from the salariat class are positively associated with self-rated health. Having network members from the working class is, however, negatively related to self-rated health. Moreover, these social capital elements are partly mediating the negative relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and self-rated health.

The association between network social capital and self-rated health: pouring old wine in new bottles?

This study examines whether there is an association between network social capital and self-rated health after controlling for social support. Moreover, we distinguish between network social capital that emerges from strong ties and weak ties. We used a cross-sectional representative sample of 815 adults from the Belgian population. Social capital is measured with the position generator and perceived social support with the MOS Social Support-scale. Results suggest that network social capital is associated with self-rated health after adjustment for social support. Because different social classes have access to different sets of resources, resources of friends and family from the intermediate and higher service classes are beneficial for self-rated health, whereas resources of friends and family from the working class appear to be rather detrimental for self-rated health. From a health-promoting perspective, these findings indicate that policy makers should deal with the root causes of socioeconomic disadvantages in society.

DIFFERENCES IN SOCIAL CAPITAL BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL ENVIRONMENTS

ABSTRACT: In the literature, several contradicting views can be found concerning rural–urban differences in individual social capital. This study combines a literature review with an empirical examination of the different points of view, applying multilevel modeling techniques on data collected from 2,332 students living across 216 municipalities. In general, social capital appears to be higher among students from municipalities in central agglomerations than among those from more rural municipalities. This effect could not be observed with respect to social capital from the family, but was established regarding social capital from friends and acquaintances. In addition, we found that living in an urban environment is associated with more pronounced socioeconomic inequalities in social capital from friends.

Inequalities in social capital and their longitudinal effects on the labour market entry

Abstract This study investigates socio-economic and ethnic inequalities in social capital and their effects on the process of the labour market entry. We use longitudinal data about the transition from school to work of lower- and middle educated young people in Belgium. Social capital is measured with three robust position generator measures. In line with previous studies, there are substantial socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in the access to social capital. Ethnic differences in social capital are, however, due to the socio-economic deprivation of ethnic minority groups in Belgium. Among the specific population of lower- and middle educated youth, knowing more people from the working class leads to a higher likelihood of entering the labour market versus continuing in education, whereas knowing more people from the higher service class results in a lower likelihood of entering the labour market. Especially the resources of strong ties such as relatives and friends are important for these decisions. In addition, once entered the labour market, social capital has an impact on the likelihood of getting a job. Lower- and middle educated labour market entrants who know more people from the working class are more likely to find work, whereas knowing people from the lower service class decreases the job chances. However, there is no evidence for social capital effects on the occupational status of the job among our population.

Reliability of Position Generator Measures across Different Occupational Lists: A Parallel Test Experiment

The position generator is a widely used research tool to measure individual social capital. Although the position generator is said to be reliable, there are only a few broad guidelines to construct the instrument and there is no standard list of occupational items. Furthermore, the reliability of the position generator across different occupational lists has not yet been tested. This article examines the reliability of 13 position generator measures across different occupational lists by means of a parallel test experiment. We found that only the volume measure has good reliability. Reliability of the social class–based position generator measures is fair to good, and reliability of the occupational prestige/status–based position generator measures is poor. These latter types of measures are the ones most often used.

The position generator approach to social capital research: measurements and results

This study gives an overview of the existing research on position generator measures, tracks their popularity over time, and examines the extent to which research results would differ due to the use of different position generator measures. We focus on two research topics: (1) the association between social capital and socioeconomic attainment; and (2) the association between social capital and self- rated health. The relationship between social capital on the one hand and socioeconomic attainment and health on the other lies, among others, at the very heart of the social capital research paradigm, and our hoice of these indicators will hopefully provide an appropriate test of the position generator approach. We examine these topics with two large-scale surveys: the Taking Part Surveys of England and the Netherlands Longitudinal Life Course Study. By examining the outcomes in these two domains and using data from the two social contexts, we aim to enhance the generalizability of this study’s findings.