Title: “Does group life buffer the effects of stress on long-term physical and mental health?”
Supervisor: Dr. Mark Beauchamp
Committee members: Dr. Eli Puterman, Dr. Nancy Sin
Abstract: A growing body of evidence indicates that being a member of multiple social groups positively contributes to a person’s health and wellbeing (Lam et al., 2018). The overall purpose of my thesis research is to examine the extent to which group life involvement buffers against an important mechanism that has been widely found to impair both long-term psychological and physical health, namely stress. Despite widespread knowledge of the effects of stress on the human body and mind, there is a lack of research on the buffering effects that group involvement may have in negating some of these debilitative effects. In my proposed Master’s thesis research, I aim to explore the potential moderating effects of group involvement on the putative negative impacts of cumulative life stress on long-term physical and mental health outcomes. I will do so using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study; MIDUS is a national, ongoing longitudinal study that investigates the role of behavioural, psychological, and social factors in accounting for variations in health and well-being. This research has the potential to inform the development and implementation of programs designed to increase group involvement for those living in communities lacking social programs, or where access to programs may be limited.