Exploring Cultural Differences In Social Support and Quality of Social Networks Following Adverse Life Events

Doctor Laura Jobson, from Monash University, one of Australia’s leading universities, was granted $23,300 to explore cultural differences in social support and quality of social networks following adverse life events.

Doctor Jobson postulates that very little research has explored how culture influences relationships. Given the cultural diversity, in such countries as the United States and Australia, it is important to investigate how culture influences interpersonal relationships and community networks. The influence of culture on the interaction and systemic approaches remains unknown and research has demonstrated that those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities tend to be underserved and underrepresented in services and the literature.

This grant has the potential to ensure MRI’s mission applies to culturally diverse communities.

The aim of this research is to examine the influence of culture and the association between social support and community networks and psychological adjustments following adverse life events. The research will question if cultural group moderates the relationship between social support and psychological adjustment, if cultural group moderates the relationship between community network and psychological adjustment adjustment and how should clinicians taylor interventions to ensure that they are culturally responsive to diverse understandings of interpersonal human relationships, social support, and community networks.

This innovative project is unique in its approach to understanding interactional systemic approaches.  It is innovative in that for decades clinicians and researchers have assumed that the interactional interpersonal mechanisms underpinning poor mental health following adverse life experience are universal.