Original Articles
Effects of social support utilization on mental health in the Japanese returnees and their families from Mainland China
1999 Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 119-130
Details
1999 Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 119-130
To examin the effects of social support (SS) utilization on mental health among 210 Japanese war orphans, their 168 Chinese spouses and 406 children who migrated to Japan, follow-up surveys were undertaken 4 times (three months, one year, two years, and three years) after they settled in the community. Ss completed the Brief Symptom Inventory, Life Stressor Scales, and SS UtilizationScale (SS sources: workplace, public service, family, relatives, and school).
Results indicated that SS utilization were slightly related negatively to mental symptoms. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that family was the most effective SS in mental health of Japanese returnees and their families. Utilization of family SS had direct and stress-buffering effects on mental symptoms during two-year and three-year stages in orphans, spouses, and children. Utilization of SS provided by Japanese society (public service, workplace, and school) had effects on mental symptoms during three-month and one-year stages in only orphans and children. Utilization of relatives SS had no effects on mental symptoms.
