Network Assessment

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Network Assessment

• Jeff McNair, Ph.D.
• California Baptist University

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The Problem

• The majority of those people. . . had made few
  if any community connections. This is not to
  deny that living in the community is cause for
  celebration, but if an inclusive future is to be
  envisioned, then the question remains as to what
  needs to happen to ensure that people have more
  than just a community presence. (OBrien, 2003)

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Marginalization and Social Exclusion

• 3-4 neighbor w/o MR
• lt 3 people in social network
• 10 had nobody
• Staff and family the main source of
  informational, practical and emotional support
• Rare for person with MR to provide support

• (from Robertson et.al. 2004)
• Not much change from 1989 (Kennedy, Horner
  Newton) which additionally found It was unusual
  for a friend or acquaintance to continue to have
  contacts with a participant for more than 1 year.

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What is social support? (Cobb, 1976)

• Information leading someone to believe
• He/she is cared for
• He/she is loved
• He/she is valued
• He/she is esteemed
• He/she is belongs to a network of communication
  and mutual obligation
• Such information
• Fulfills social needs and protects from adverse
  consequences

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What is social support? (continued)

• Perceived support is a stronger predictor of
  health outcomes and positive well-being than the
  structure of the social support (Marshall
  Gebhardt)
• Social support provided by primary groups
• Buffers or cushions individuals from consequences
  of stressful experiences
• Social support reduces exposure to environmental
  stressors (particularly advanced mobilization)
  (Cassel)

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Types of Support

• Attachment or affiliations, social support and
  social interaction (Harel Deimling)
• Affect, affirmation and aid (Kahn Antonucci)
• Emotional support, esteem support, belonging
  support (Cobb)
• Emotional, financial, practical, guidance (Vaux)
• Material aid, behavioral assistance, Intimate
  interaction, guidance, feedback, positive social
  interaction (Barrera Ainslay)
• Emotional concern, instrumental aid, information,
  appraisal (House)
• Appraisal, self esteem, belonging, tangible aid
  (Cohen)

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LofLands Threads of social Connectedness (1982)

• A bond or connection with another person . . .
• Role partnership
• based on the role that self can enact as a
  complement to the role enacted by the other
• Mundane assistance
• based on concrete services the other provides to
  self in meeting the demands of everyday life
• Linkage to a network
• based on the way the other provides access to
  important associates and friendships
• Self confirmation
• based on the other persons affirmation of selfs
  cherished and preferred images
• Comforting myths
• based on the way the other involves self in the
  creation of myths and stories useful in coping
  with lifes challenges and catastrophes
• Reality-validation
• based on the way that the other supports selfs
  basic assumptions about the nature of social
  reality
• Shared futures
• based on coordinated efforts to project a common
  goal and a mutually fulfilling future

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The Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (1979)

• How much does this person make you feel liked or
  loved? (affect)
• How much does this person make you feel respected
  or admired? (affect)
• How much can you confide in this person
  (affirmation)
• How much does this person agree with or support
  your actions or thoughts? (affirmation)
• If you needed to borrow 10, a ride to the
  doctor, or some other immediate help, how much
  could this person usually help? (aid-short term)
• If you were confined to bed for several weeks,
  how much could this person help you? (aid-long
  term)
• Also addresses
• Duration, Frequency, Loss

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Social Network Grid (Tracy)
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Social Network Map (Tracy, adapted by Forte,
Barrett Campbell)
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Loflands Patterns of Social Connectedness (1982)

• Pattern 1 Full range of connections spread among
  multiple others
• Pattern 2 Limited connections spread among
  multiple others
• Pattern 3 All connections to a few others
• Pattern 4 All connections to a single other
• Pattern 5 (McNair, 2004) Connectedness largely
  to paid others

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Sarason, Levine, Bahsam Sarason

• Regardless of how it is conceptualized, social
  support would seem to have two basic elements
• (a) the perception that there is a sufficient
  number of available others to whom one can turn
  in times of need and
• (b) a degree of satisfaction with the available
  support

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Rather than inventing new programs from whole
cloth, so to speak, one might instead concentrate
on reinforcing the naturally occurring social
systems used by families and communities to build
on strengths and channel social
behavior.(Cochran, Riley, Ginnarsson Larner,
1990)
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• Thank you for your attention!
• Jeff McNair
• PowerPoint of this presentation available at
• http//jeffmcnair.com
• Click on lectures then NACSW 2004