Cohen C I, Teresi J, Holmes D
Am J Community Psychol. 1986 Feb;14(1):75-91. doi: 10.1007/BF00923251.
Social network researchers have been divided into two camps: those who propose that social networks have a direct effect on subsequent psychological symptoms and those who posit a stress-buffering effect as well. Previous research has been limited by rudimentary measures of social interaction and the absence of longitudinal data as well as by different approaches to the assessment of possible buffering effects. In the present study, using 19 social network variables, the authors followed 133 elderly residents of mid-Manhattan SRO hotels for 1 year. Three different methods of determining buffering effects were examined: Dividing the sample into high- and low-stress groups and contrasting differences in percentage variance accounted for by social networks between the two groups; Examining the group as a whole to assess if any Network Variable X Stress interactional terms are significant; Examining the group as a whole to assess whether there is a reduction in the beta value of stress with respect to psychological symptoms when network variables are added to the analysis. Method 1 indicated a direct network effect, but none of the methods indicated a buffering effect. Of clinical relevance was the nonlinearity of the network effects, that is, depending upon a person's stressor level, different network dimensions must be emphasized and strengthened.
一方认为社交网络对随后的心理症状有直接影响，另一方则认为社交网络还有压力缓冲作用。以往的研究受到社交互动基本测量方法、纵向数据缺失以及评估可能的缓冲效应的不同方法的限制。在本研究中，作者使用19个社交网络变量，对133名曼哈顿中城单人居住酒店的老年居民进行了为期1年的跟踪研究。研究考察了三种不同的确定缓冲效应的方法：将样本分为高压力组和低压力组，对比两组之间社交网络所解释的方差百分比差异；将整个样本作为一个整体进行考察，以评估是否有任何网络变量X压力交互项显著；将整个样本作为一个整体进行考察，以评估在分析中加入网络变量时，压力相对于心理症状的β值是否降低。方法1显示了社交网络的直接效应，但没有一种方法显示出缓冲效应。具有临床相关性的是网络效应的非线性，也就是说，根据一个人的压力源水平，必须强调和加强不同的网络维度。
