Why are groups good for us? Social determinants of well-being behind bars and beyond

This thesis investigates the social determinants of well-being, behind bars and beyond. Through a series of four papers, it empirically tests some of the theoretical claims made by the social identity approach to health (also known as The Social Cure; C. Haslam, Jetten, Cruwys, Dingle, & Haslam, 2018a) which proposes that our social connections and, in particular, our social identity, lies at the heart of our well-being; and advances its applications by investigating its applicability amongst criminal offenders. Although research has highlighted the importance of differentiating between different types of social ties (C. Haslam, Cruwys, Milne, Kan, & Haslam, 2016a), Chapter 2 extends this by demonstrating experimentally that group ties are especially beneficial because they are internalized as part of a person’s social identity and, through this, provide a basis for beneficial forms of connectedness and self-worth. Furthermore, applied social cure research has demonstrated that group ties can protect people from adverse life experiences (C. Haslam et al., 2018a). Chapters 3, 4, and 5 provide the first investigation of the social cure amongst offenders. My findings make a novel contribution to the imprisonment and resettlement literatures that offer little insight into the impact that group ties have on adjustment, and the mechanisms through which group ties impact offender well-being. Chapter 3 demonstrates that strong prisoner ties and membership in groups are associated with greater prisoner well-being, and identifies psychological needs and group contact as explanatory mechanisms. Chapter 4 demonstrates that ex-prisoners have social stigma attached to them, and this can have negative consequences; but Chapter 5 shows that even in the case of stigmatized groups (prisoners), if the ‘right’ identities are part of these individuals’ social worlds, groups can be curative. Theoretical and practical implications of my findings are discussed, which open up interesting avenues for future research

PhD supervisors and faculty members might help to avoid burnout as well as enhance engagement and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among PhD students.

There has been increased interest in the wellbeing and mental health of postgraduate students in light of the recent portrayal of the academic career as overworked and isolated. Research points to PhD students as being particularly at risk, yet the factors that contribute to PhD students’ compromised wellbeing are unclear. In this study (N = 392), we combine the social cure approach in social psychology with advances in organizational psychology to investigate potential predictors of work-related wellbeing and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among PhD students in the UK. In particular, we explore the relationships between social support, willingness to support others, clarity of role, group belonging, engagement, and burnout using structural equation modelling (SEM). Our results point to the importance of support provided by both the supervisor and faculty members in helping to avoid burnout and enhance engagement among students. We also found that students’ identification with supervisors and faculty members together with clarity of role are positively associated with students’ work-related well-being. Moreover, although particular processes differ for early vs. late stage PhD students, our findings suggest that support from faculty members is a key predictor of intentions to perform OCB. Thus, received support is positively related to performing OCB both directly and indirectly via a sense of identification with faculty members. We discuss the implications of our findings in relation to policies aiming at improving the well-being of PhD students

PhD supervisors and faculty members might help to avoid burnout as well as enhance engagement and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among PhD students.

There has been increased interest in the wellbeing and mental health of postgraduate students in light of the recent portrayal of the academic career as overworked and isolated. Research points to PhD students as being particularly at risk, yet the factors that contribute to PhD students’ compromised wellbeing are unclear. In this study (N = 392), we combine the social cure approach in social psychology with advances in organizational psychology to investigate potential predictors of work-related wellbeing and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among PhD students in the UK. In particular, we explore the relationships between social support, willingness to support others, clarity of role, group belonging, engagement, and burnout using structural equation modelling (SEM). Our results point to the importance of support provided by both the supervisor and faculty members in helping to avoid burnout and enhance engagement among students. We also found that students’ identification with supervisors and faculty members together with clarity of role are positively associated with students’ work-related well-being. Moreover, although particular processes differ for early vs. late stage PhD students, our findings suggest that support from faculty members is a key predictor of intentions to perform OCB. Thus, received support is positively related to performing OCB both directly and indirectly via a sense of identification with faculty members. We discuss the implications of our findings in relation to policies aiming at improving the well-being of PhD students

“Finding rhythms made me find my rhythm in prison”: the role of a music program in promoting social engagement and psychological well-being among inmates

This article presents a mixed-methods evaluation of the Finding Rhythms (FR) charity music program in U.K. prisons. Results across two studies indicate that FR group activities and the development of a shared FR identity lead to a positive well-being outcome. Furthermore, FR involvement dissolves rivalries between prisoners and provides them with a sense of purpose that extends into prison life and beyond. We provide evidence for the social cure properties of the FR group and the music program that promotes social engagement and psychological well-being among inmates

Social factors boost wellbeing behind bars: the importance of individual and group ties for prisoner well-being

Background Prisoners often suffer from social isolation and higher levels of ill-health and ill-being. Research has demonstrated the positive health consequences that stem from social interaction, and especially group ties, amongst non-offender populations. Methods This work is based on a secondary analysis of a large-scale dataset that includes data on prisoners residing in all prison establishments in the UK (Study 1: N = 11,880; prisons = 113), and on a questionnaire booklet that was completed by prisoners residing in one prison in the UK (Study 2: N = 157). Results Study 1 showed that positive prisoner interactions are associated with greater prisoner well-being, due to the feelings of autonomy that these interactions provide. Study 2 showed that prisoners who reported being members of multiple groups had higher well-being, an effect mediated by the satisfaction of particular psychological needs; and an effect moderated by group contact discrepancy. Conclusions This work provides evidence that strong prisoner ties and memberships in groups are associated with greater well-being among prisoners, and identifies psychological needs and group contact as explanatory mechanisms; which progresses the field and has important policy and practical implications

Group identities benefit well-being by satisfying needs

Although research has highlighted the importance of differentiating between different types of social ties – group ties and individual ties – no experimental work exists that investigates the claim that group ties are more beneficial than individual ties, and little is known about how group memberships influence well-being, relative to relationships. We designed a series of experiments that: a) primed either multiple group memberships or multiple interpersonal relationships (vs. films) and observed the effects on participants’ induced negative moods (S1, N = 120); b) primed different types (S2, N = 317) and features (S3, N = 183) of groups and observed which led to the greatest increases in life satisfaction; and c) investigated whether feelings of connectedness and self-worth mediated these effects (S1-3). We found that priming relationships satisfied psychological needs and restored and enhanced well-being, but that priming group memberships did so to a greater extent, especially when participants reflected on the group’s identity rather than its members. This work contributes to our understanding of why multiple group memberships are beneficial, and highlights how important social identities associated with groups can be for well-being

“I changed and hid my old ways”: how social rejection and social identities shape wellbeing among ex-prisoners

Being a member of a rejected group negatively affects well-being but can also increase group identification, which can have positive effects on well-being. However, this rejection-identification model has never been investigated among the highly stigmatized group of ex-prisoners. Furthermore, the potential buffering role of multiple group memberships has never been investigated within the rejection-identification model. We conduct a novel investigation of a combined rejection-identification and social cure model of group-based rejection among ex-prisoners. A survey of 199 ex-prisoners found that experiencing group-based rejection was associated with poorer well-being and increased ex-prisoner identification. However, identification as an ex-prisoner magnified, rather than buffered, the relationship between rejection and reduced well-being. Furthermore, the negative relationship between rejection and well-being was particularly pronounced among ex-prisoners with a higher number of group memberships. Ex-prisoners with a greater number of group memberships experienced greater levels of rejection, suggesting group memberships increase their exposure to rejection. We therefore provide evidence of a boundary condition for the social cure properties of groups. Among members of strongly rejected social groups, multiple group memberships can be a social curse rather than social cure