It is important to examine social desirability when interpreting self-report data from substance abusers. Social desirability is the tendency to respond on surveys that make people appear more favorable to others; thus, a strong desire for social approval is related to minimized reports of substance use. In the present study, the relationship between social desirability and different types of social support was examined within 582 residents of communal-living recovery homes (i.e., Oxford Houses). Although effect sizes were small, results may suggest that participants reported social network variables in a socially desirable manner; this tendency towards self-deception even predicted misrepresentations of these constructs eight months later. In addition, self-reports of the substance use habits of friends and family were more prone to social desirability than the reporting of other social network characteristics. Overall, it is suggested that social desirability might be taken into account when examining substance abusers' self-reports of social support variables.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2922763PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15560350802712397DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

social desirability
24
social
12
social network
12
self-reports substance
8
substance abusers
8
network variables
8
social support
8
desirability
6
abusers relation
4
relation social
4

Similar Publications

Peer rejection and internet gaming disorder: the mediating role of relative deprivation and the moderating role of grit.

Front Psychol

January 2025

School of Education, Research Center of Rural Education and Cultural Development of the Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences in Hubei Province, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.

Background: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is a new behavioral addiction. A large number of empirical studies have shown that Internet Gaming Disorder has a high level of comorbidity with other diseases, including depression, anxiety, obesity, internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems, however, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation. The current study adopted a three-time longitudinal study investing the mediating effect of relative deprivation on the association between peer rejection and IGD, and whether this mediating effect was moderated by the grit.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Measuring implicit associations with behaviours to improve resident mood: development of implicit association tasks for nursing home care providers.

Int J Nurs Stud Adv

June 2025

Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboudumc Alzheimer Center, Geert Grooteplein 21, 6525 EZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Objective: To develop and evaluate instruments for measuring implicit associations of nursing home care providers with behaviours aimed at improving resident mood.

Method: Study 1 ( = 41) followed an iterative approach to develop two implicit association tasks measuring implicit attitude (positive versus negative valence) and motivation (wanting versus not wanting) regarding mood-improving behaviours, followed by an evaluation of the content validity for target stimuli representing these behaviours. In Study 2 ( = 230), the tasks were assessed for stimulus classification ease (accuracy and speed) and internal consistency.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sexual sadism has long been of interest to scholars and clinicians in psychology, and most research on sexual sadism has focused on forensic samples. However, recently, research has uncovered the existence of sexual sadism in general populations. Measures designed to assess sexual sadism in the general population are lacking.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study examines stigma and self-stigma towards individuals with intellectual disabilities among university students, focusing on cognitive, emotional and behavioural dimensions. It highlights the negative impact on social inclusion and the importance of educational interventions.

Methods: A quantitative pre-/post-test design with a control group assessed stigma towards intellectual disabilities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Autogynephilia is a natal male's propensity to be sexually aroused by the thought or fantasy of being a woman. Both male cross-dressers and transfeminine individuals (a broad range of individuals born male with a feminine gender identity; e.g.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!