Author(s): Nascimento, Paulo Sousa ; Roberto, Magda Sofia ; Correia Dos Santos, Ana Sofia
Date: 2023
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10451/62942
Origin: Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa
Subject(s): Mental health; Social support; Social support; Migrations; COVID-19
Social network changes may occur during disruptive events (e.g., COVID-19), especially with immigrants who need to rebuild networks, undermining their mental health. Study 1 (N =18) investigates immigrants' perceived changes before and during the pandemic in their networks, mental health, social support and social capital. Study 2 (N =53) examines the same in a sample of non-migrants. Convenience samples were collected online between July and November 2020, addressing participants' perceived health networks and mental health through name generators (alters’ names), name interpreters (attributes), position generator (social capital), and the Mental Health Inventory-5. E-net software assessed the network's efficiency and homophily. Study 1 results revealed immigrants reduced their mental health, and network changes by decreasing social support, efficiency and social capital. In study 2, non-migrant network changes were small, not compromising their efficiency and social capital. Contributions suggest the importance of health crisis management with actions to support migrant social networks.
