Cited by 1,226Health disparities and outcomesFamily Dynamics and RelationshipsAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 150 of the 150 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Social Relationships and Health Behavior Across the Life Course

Open access

Umberson, Debra, Crosnoe, Robert, Reczek, Corinne·2010·Annual Review of Sociology

DOI 10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-120011PMC PMC3171805

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Sociological theory and research point to the importance of social relationships in affecting health behavior. This work tends to focus on specific stages of the life course, with a division between research on childhood/adolescent and adult populations. Yet recent advances demonstrate that early life course experiences shape health outcomes well into adulthood. We synthesize disparate bodies of research on social ties and health behavior throughout the life course, with attention to explaining how various social ties influence health behaviors at different life stages and how these processes accumulate and reverberate throughout the life course.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-120011

Cites

150 of 150 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Social Relationships and Health
House, J. S., Landis, K. R., & Umberson, D. (1988) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.3399889 · Cited by 7,073
Self-citation
The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years
Christakis, N. A., & Fowler, J. H. (2007) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmsa066082 · Cited by 5,007
Social Relationships and Health.
Cohen, S. (2004) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.59.8.676 · Cited by 4,852
From social integration to health: durkheim in the new millennium
Berkman, L. F., Glass, T., Brissette, I., & Seeman, T. E. (2000) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(00)00065-4 · Cited by 4,821 · cited 4×
“Social support may also operate indirectly through enhanced personal control (Berkman et al. 2000), as shown in studies of smoking cessation (Gulliver et al. 1995).”
BackgroundInfluential
Constructions of masculinity and their influence on men's well-being: a theory of gender and health
Courtenay, W. H. (2000) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(99)00390-1 · Cited by 4,091 · cited 1×
“For example, Courtenay (2000) argues that cultural images of masculinity make men more likely than women to respond to stress with heavy drinking and other risky behaviors.”
Background
Suicide: A study in sociology.
Durkheim, É. (2004) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/10406-003 · Cited by 3,944
Suicide: A Study in Sociology.
Alpert, H., Durkheim, É., Spaulding, J. A., Simpson, G. L., Solovay, S. A., Mueller, J. H., & Catlin, G. (1951) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2088294 · Cited by 3,910
Stress, Coping, and Social Support Processes: Where Are We? What Next?
Thoits, P. A. (1995) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.2307/2626957 · Cited by 3,496 · cited 3×
“This may be beneficial for health habits because adolescents and adults often engage in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and drinking as a way of self-medicating to reduce tension and anxiety (Baker et al. 2004, Kassel et al. 2003, Thoits 1995).”
Background
The Emergence and Development of Life Course Theory
Elder, G. H., Johnson, M. K., & Crosnoe, R. (2003) · Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research · doi:10.1007/978-0-306-48247-2_1 · Cited by 3,322 · cited 1×
“A central image of this perspective is of developmental trajectories (e.g., health) and social convoys (e.g., relationships) intertwining over long periods to make up the individual life course (Elder et al. 2003).”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives.
Heidel, R. E. (1991) · Population and Development Review · doi:10.2307/1971966 · Cited by 3,162

Show all 149 references

Research works printed but not linked: 10

Cherlin A, 2009, The Marriage Go Round
Coleman JS, 1961, The Adolescent Society: The Social Life of Teenagers and Its Impact on Education
Geronimus A, 2006, Res. Pract., 96, 826
Hayward MD, 2004, Demography, 241, 540
10.1037/0033-2909.127.4.472 · DOI · Paper page
Krause N, 2008, Social Structures and Aging Individuals, 73
Umberson D, 2008, Advances in Life Course Research: Stress Processes Across the Life Course, 19
10.2105/AJPH.92.4.588 · DOI
Williams RB, 2001, Handbook of Health Psychology, 661
Winkleby MA, 2004, Critical Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health in Late Life, 450

Sorted by citations

Items 601–700 of 1,000

Cascades of emotional support in friendship networks and adolescent smoking
Lakon, C. M., Wang, C., Butts, C. T., Jose, R., & Hipp, J. R. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180204 · Cited by 9
Child Obesity and the Interaction of Family and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Context
Kranjac, A. W., Denney, J. T., Kimbro, R. T., Moffett, B. S., & Lopez, K. N. (2018) · Population Research and Policy Review · doi:10.1007/s11113-018-9504-2 · Cited by 9
Individual Differences in Habitual Social Goals and Daily Well–Being: The Role of Age and Relationship Closeness
Nikitin, J., & Freund, A. M. (2019) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1002/per.2190 · Cited by 9
Sex, Age, Race/Ethnicity, Veteran Status, and the Likelihood of Reporting Cardiovascular Conditions in the National Health Interview Survey
Hinojosa, R. (2019) · The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing · doi:10.1097/jcn.0000000000000561 · Cited by 9
Familie und Gesundheit
Becker, O. A., Loter, K., & Becker, S. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-06392-4_45 · Cited by 9
Covariation of psychobiological stress regulation with valence and quantity of social interactions in everyday life: disentangling intra- and interindividual sources of variation
Stoffel, M., Abbruzzese, E., Rahn, S., Bossmann, U., Moessner, M., & Ditzen, B. (2021) · Journal of Neural Transmission · doi:10.1007/s00702-021-02359-3 · Cited by 11
Work-Family Life Courses and Metabolic Markers in the MRC National Survey of Health and Development
Lacey, R. E., Meena Kumari, B., Sacker, A., Stafford, M., Kuh, D. J., & McMunn, A. (2016) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161923 · Cited by 9
“For example, it is possible that other lifestyle factors are involved, such as diet, which we have not accounted for in this study but which are to some extent socially controlled within families[48].”
Background
Childhood poverty, immune cell aging, and African Americans' insulin resistance: A prospective study
Barton, A. W., Yu, T., Gong, Q., Miller, G. E., Chen, E., & Brody, G. H. (2022) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/cdev.13795 · Cited by 8
“…the developmental origins of racial health disparities, life-course perspectives on health emphasize the ways in which socioeconomic and other stressors experienced during childhood “get under the skin” to presage health disparities in adulthood (Pearlin et al., 1997; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Why is the composition of older adults’ care network associated with psychological wellbeing: an application of the self-determination theory
Swinkels, J. C., Abbing, J., & Groenou, M. I. B. V. (2024) · Aging & Mental Health · doi:10.1080/13607863.2024.2373405 · Cited by 11
“Our results are consistent with former research that suggests that older adults who receive support from close ties may be better able to cope with stress and with functional disability than those who do not receive this support (Umberson et al., 2010).”
Assessing the Relationship Between the Type of Internet Use and Internet Addiction in Early and Middle Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study From Qatar
Chemnad, K., Aziz, M., Al-Harahsheh, S. T., Abdelmoneium, A., Baghdady, A., Hassan, D. A., & Ali, R. (2024) · JMIR Human Factors · doi:10.2196/62955 · Cited by 10
“Individuals become more self-sufficient, engage in complex social connections, and gain feelings of autonomy [42].”
Negative life events and internet addiction among college students: role of physical exercise and prosocial behavior
Huang, Q., Li, J., Wang, J., & Liu, B. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1629818 · Cited by 9
Intergenerational Coresidential Patterns by Young Adult’s and Their Mother’s Mental Health and Substance Use
Thomeer, M. B., & Reczek, C. (2019) · Journal of Family Issues · doi:10.1177/0192513x19894348 · Cited by 8
Self-citation
Non-spousal family support, marital status, and heart problems in adulthood
Chai, H. W., Ayanian, J. Z., & Almeida, D. M. (2020) · Psychology and Health · doi:10.1080/08870446.2020.1809660 · Cited by 8
“Thus, for women, family support may be more likely to function as a source of advice which provides encouragement to have a healthier lifestyle that may lower susceptibility to a heart problem (Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
Effects of Early Social Bonds on Adolescent Trajectories of Sexual Risk Behaviors Among South African Girls
Gottfredson, N. C., Bhushan, N. L., Reyes, H. L. M., Pettifor, A. E., & Kahn, K. (2021) · AIDS and Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10461-021-03472-w · Cited by 8
Factores de resiliencia y bienestar en familias colombianas
Reyes-Rojas, M., Ceballos, E. C., Jaimes, M. E. B., Carbonell, O. A., Cantor, J., Sánchez, J. E., & Moreno, M. R. (2021) · Interdisciplinaria Revista de Psicología y Ciencias Afines · doi:10.16888/interd.2021.38.3.7 · Cited by 8
“…pueden constituirse en factores protectores de la salud mental de las familias, en tanto ofrecen una barrera contra algunos de los efectos negativos del estrés que incrementan el sufrimiento personal de los miembros de la familia (Corona et al., 2017; Lee et al., 2018; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
Research on the effects of family rituals on subjective well-being of Chinese college students
Yang, Y., & Chun-lei, W. (2022) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03858-6 · Cited by 8
“All the binary relationships and subsystems formed within the family system are linked together in important ways at each stage of life, and have a profound impact on individuals’ access to happiness and tangible resources (Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
The effects of mindfulness on mother–child relationships and maternal well‐being during the first COVID‐19 lockdown in Israel
Maoz, L. B., Lavy, S., & Berkovich‐Ohana, A. (2023) · Child & Family Social Work · doi:10.1111/cfs.13013 · Cited by 8
The role of romantic relationships for sexual minority young adults’ depressive symptoms: Does relationship type matter?
Hsu, J., & Mernitz, S. (2024) · Social Science Research · doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2024.103049 · Cited by 8
A Longitudinal Examination of Factors Associated with Network Bridging Among YMSM: Implications for HIV Prevention
Skaathun, B., Voisin, D. R., Cornwell, B. T., Lauderdale, D. S., & Schneider, J. A. (2018) · AIDS and Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10461-018-2258-3 · Cited by 8
“High network turnover has also been associated with HIV transmission among people who inject drugs [18].”
Until Death Do Us Part. The Influence of Own and Partner’s Socioeconomic Status on the Health of Spanish Middle-Aged Population
Gumà, J., & Spijker, J. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17134644 · Cited by 8
The Reciprocal Relationship between Instrumental Support from Children and Self-Rated Health among Older Adults over Time in Rural China
Mao, W., Silverstein, M. D., Prindle, J., & Chi, I. (2020) · Journal of Aging and Health · doi:10.1177/0898264320943759 · Cited by 8
“Families are vital in providing instrumental support to aging parents, and the role of adult children in support provision has long been considered a resource in the aging process (Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
Associations between self-rated physical Health and relationship satisfaction in couples with children
Baucom, K. J. W., Giresi, J., Heyman, R., & Slep, A. M. S. (2020) · Health Psychology Open · doi:10.1177/2055102920959527 · Cited by 8
“Further, parents are less physically active and more likely to be obese relative to non-parents (Umberson et al., 2010a), factors that have the potential to place parents at heightened risk for a range of chronic illnesses (e.g., type 2 diabetes; Galaviz et al., 2018).”
Background
Family values and social well-being: Do motives for activities mediate?
Fadiji, A. W., & Khumalo, I. P. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-01740-5 · Cited by 8
Parents’ use of intentional modeling and social control to influence their adolescent’s health behavior: Findings from the FLASHE study
Jaeger, M. M., Vieth, G., Rothman, A. J., & Simpson, J. (2021) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/02654075211020136 · Cited by 6
“…weight-related perceptions and behaviors more so than sons (Hochgraf et al., 2019; Wertheim, 2002), that parents may grant greater autonomy to their children as they age, and that concerns about autonomy might affect which influence strategy is used (Koepke & Denissen, 2012; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Method
Prevalence and determinants of tobacco use amongst South African adults with mental illness in the Eastern Cape
Tindimwebwa, L. K., Ajayi, A. I., & Adeniyi, O. V. (2021) · South African Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v27i0.1637 · Cited by 8
Migration and the Health of Non-migrant Family: Findings from the Jamaica Return(ed) Migrants Study
Nwankwo, E. M., & Govia, I. (2021) · Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health · doi:10.1007/s10903-021-01239-y · Cited by 8
The role of specific sources of social support on postinjury psychological symptoms.
Brienza, A. M., Suffoletto, B. P., Kuhn, E. R., Germain, A., Jaramillo, S., Repine, M. J., Callaway, C. W., & Pacella‐LaBarbara, M. L. (2021) · Rehabilitation Psychology · doi:10.1037/rep0000388 · Cited by 9
Pragmatics to Reveal Intent in Social Media Peer Interactions: Mixed Methods Study
Singh, T., Olivares, S., Cohen, T., Cobb, N. K., Wang, J., Franklin, A., & Myneni, S. (2021) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/32167 · Cited by 11
“We chose these two domains because existing research has established the influence of social relationships on risky health behaviors (eg, tobacco cessation) and lifestyle factors (eg, diet, physical activity, medication use, and self-monitoring of blood glucose) that impact type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-related heal…”
Background
The Moderating Role of Social Support in the Relationship between Poor Mental Health and Excessive Alcohol Consumption: A Gender-Specific Analysis
Fang, L., & Lung, Y. (2022) · Substance Use & Misuse · doi:10.1080/10826084.2021.2019770 · Cited by 10
“…instrumental, informational and emotional resources that are available to people from formal or informal helping systems (Gottlieb & Bergen, 2010; Umberson et al., 2010), social support has been proposed as a possible protective factor that can mitigate the negative consequences of mental…”
Background
Multiple Family Member Deaths and Cardiometabolic Health among Black and White Older Adults
Donnelly, R., Cha, H., & Umberson, D. (2022) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.1177/00221465221114485 · Cited by 8
“Because many harmful health behaviors tend to emerge early in the life course and then remain stable throughout life (Umberson, Crosnoe, and Reczek 2010), stressors that activate unhealthy behaviors earlier in the life course are likely to have long-term implications for health.”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Positive, negative, and ambivalent dyads and triads with family and friends: A personal network study on how they are associated with young adults’ well-being
de Bel, V., & Widmer, E. D. (2024) · Social Networks · doi:10.1016/j.socnet.2024.02.004 · Cited by 8
Living with a Smoker and Physical Inactivity: An Unexplored Health Behavior Pathway
Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., & Li, X. (2014) · American Journal of Health Promotion · doi:10.4278/ajhp.130820-arb-434 · Cited by 8
“Housemates who smoke may promote low health commitment through modeling, peer pressure, and social control, and low support for healthy behaviors.(3,12,13)”
Background
Women, Stress, and Health
Thomeer, M. B., Umberson, D., & Williams, K. (2012) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-384978-6.00045-5 · Cited by 8
Self-citation
Owning and testing smoke alarms: findings from a qualitative study
Clark, A., & Smith, J. C. (2016) · Journal of Risk Research · doi:10.1080/13669877.2016.1240707 · Cited by 8
“Consequently, future research on fire risk needs to situate perceptions and practices within a life-course perspective (Umberson, Crosnoe, and Reczek 2010) that can better appreciate the ways in which individuals, and households, may become more or less fire risk averse at different stages of life…”
Background
Exposure to Parental Depression in Adolescence and Risk for Metabolic Syndrome in Adulthood
Ehrlich, K. B., Chen, E., Yu, T., Miller, G. E., & Brody, G. H. (2017) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/cdev.13003 · Cited by 8
Cross-national variation in the subjective wellbeing of youth in low and middle income countries: the role of structural and micro-level factors
Mutumba, M., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2019) · Journal of Youth Studies · doi:10.1080/13676261.2019.1597257 · Cited by 9
“…Cavallo et al. 2015) due to adolescencerelated challenges such as identity development and peer pressure, and the fact that younger adults in most societies have met relatively fewer of their material aspirations compared to older adults (Diener and Suh 1997; Umberson, Crosnoe, and Reczek 2010).”
Background
Happily partnered older adults’ relationship‐enhancing behaviours
Rahn, A., Bennett, C., Jones, T. M., & Lykins, A. D. (2020) · Australian Journal on Ageing · doi:10.1111/ajag.12731 · Cited by 8
Sexual orientation, peer relationships, and depressive symptoms: Findings from a sociometric design
la Roi, C., Kretschmer, T., Veenstra, R., Bos, H., Goossens, L., Verschueren, K., Colpin, H., Leeuwen, K. G. V., Noortgate, W. V. D., & Dijkstra, J. K. (2019) · Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2019.101086 · Cited by 9
“…although prior research has stressed the importance of social relationships for mental health (Berkman et al. 2000; Kawachi & Berkman 2001; Umberson et al. 2010), we did not find school peer relationships to have an effect on depressive symptoms, which is surprising in light of the…”
Background
Cumulative risk and adolescent emotional distress: A longitudinal moderated mediation analysis focusing on perceived stress and social support
Deniz, E., Humphrey, N., Demkowicz, O., Lereya, S. T., & Deighton, J. (2025) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579424001275 · Cited by 8
“…salient; the former is seen as a critical source of interpersonal connection in the transition from childhood, with the latter becoming increasingly important over time as the social world is reoriented in service of development towards independence (Orben et al., 2020; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Family structure and living arrangements as indicators of social isolation, and prostate cancer risk
Salmon, C., Quesnel‐Vallée, A., & Parent, M. (2023) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107544 · Cited by 7
Factors associated with advanced-stage diagnosis of cervical cancer in Estonia: a population-based study
Šavrova, A., Jaal, J., Nõmm, O., & Innos, K. (2023) · Public Health · doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2023.10.025 · Cited by 7
Aging Alone (While Black): Living Alone, Loneliness, and Health Among Older Black Women
Versey, H. S., & Gibbons, J. (2024) · The Gerontologist · doi:10.1093/geront/gnae175 · Cited by 7
The impact of emotional support on students’ social-emotional competence: the mediating role of achievement motivation and the moderating effect of self-efficacy
Li, D., & Liu, W. (2025) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-025-07331-y · Cited by 11
The Relationship Between Social Integration and Physical Activity, Diet, and Sleep Among Youths: Cross-sectional Survey Study
Wray, B., Grimes, A. R., Eighmy, K. E., & Lightner, J. S. (2022) · JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting · doi:10.2196/40354 · Cited by 7
“Improving health behaviors early in life is essential to improving population health, as youths establish patterns early in life that extend into adulthood [11].”
Background
Social support and social strain from children and subsequent health and well-being among older U.S. adults
Wilkinson, R., Nakamura, J. S., Kim, E. S., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2023) · Journal of Social and Personal Relationships · doi:10.1177/02654075231164900 · Cited by 7
“…Lewis, 2021), the relationship between perceived social support and social strain from children and health behaviors among older adult parents is relatively unexplored, although some of the same mechanisms are plausible (e.g., social control, behavioral coping responses; see Umberson et al., 2010).”
Maternal/paternal migration, delinquent friendship, and depressive symptoms among left-behind children in China
Du, S., & Liang, Z. (2024) · Chinese Sociological Review · doi:10.1080/21620555.2024.2321603 · Cited by 7
“…in mental health, especially for adolescents whose social networks are highly unstable and who are extremely vulnerable to peer effects (see Abrutyn and Mueller 2014; Bearman, Moody, and Stovel 2004; Luke and Stamatakis 2012; Rock et al. 2016; Ueno 2005; Umberson, Crosnoe, and Reczek 2010).”
Longitudinal examination of cognitive function in older adults after the death of a child
Su, Q. F. (2024) · Death Studies · doi:10.1080/07481187.2024.2347635 · Cited by 7
“Moreover, many health-detrimental behaviors typically develop in early life and remain stable in later life (Umberson et al., 2010).”
Impact of weak social ties and networks on poor sleep quality: A case study of Iranian employees
Masoudnia, E. (2015) · Asian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2015.10.005 · Cited by 7
Are partner's features important to understand health at older ages? The Spanish case
Gumà, J., & Spijker, J. (2019) · Gaceta Sanitaria · doi:10.1016/j.gaceta.2019.07.005 · Cited by 7
Coresidence increases the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 among older Brazilians
Andrade, F. C. D., Quashie, N. T., & Schwartzman, L. F. (2022) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-022-02800-6 · Cited by 7
“It is well established that social relationships, as a source of social connection and support, are important for individuals’ health and health behaviors across the life course [12, 13].”
Background
The impact pathways of environmental, social, and behavioural factors on healthy ageing for urban dwellers aged 85+: Longitudinal study of the Tokyo Oldest Old Survey on Total Health (TOOTH)
Yoshida, N., Arai, Y., Takayama, M., Abe, Y., & Oguma, Y. (2022) · SSM - Population Health · doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101089 · Cited by 7
Health, Suicidal Thoughts, and the Life Course: How Worsening Health Emerges as a Determinant of Suicide Ideation in Early Adulthood
Graham, C., & Fenelon, A. T. (2023) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.1177/00221465221143768 · Cited by 7
“Furthermore, social roles and pressures, such as sustaining a career, are likely to become more demanding in young adulthood (Umberson, Crosnoe, and Reczek 2010).”
Background
The impact of hearing loss on trajectories of depressive symptoms in married couples
West, J. S., Smith, S. L., & Dupre, M. E. (2023) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115780 · Cited by 7
Academic performance and social networks of adolescents in a caribbean city in Colombia
López-Sánchez, M., Arango-Paternina, C. M., Petro-Petro, J., Lema-Gómez, L., Eusse-López, C., Petro, J. L., Watts-Fernández, W., & Perea-Velásquez, F. (2023) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-023-01299-9 · Cited by 7
Structural Analysis of Family Dynamics Across Family Life Cycle in Iran
Ghanbaripanah, A., Mustaffa, M. S., & Ahmad, R. (2013) · Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.589 · Cited by 9
The associations between parental involvement, peer network, and youth suicidality in China: evidence from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (2003)
Kim, H. H. (2015) · The Social Science Journal · doi:10.1016/j.soscij.2015.10.004 · Cited by 7
Past and present, day by day: Communication with former romantic partners, relationship-contingent self-esteem, and current relationship outcomes
Rodriguez, L. M., Wickham, R. E., Øverup, C. S., & Amspoker, A. B. (2016) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2016.09.005 · Cited by 7
Changes in Social Integration Predict Changes in Physical Activity: A 25-Year Prospective Study
Lightner, J., Irwin, B. C., & Chrisman, M. (2018) · Journal of Physical Activity and Health · doi:10.1123/jpah.2017-0009 · Cited by 7
Effects of voluntary memberships and volunteering on alcohol and tobacco use across the life course: Findings from the German Socio-Economic Panel
Pavlova, M. K., Lühr, M., & Luhmann, M. (2018) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.10.013 · Cited by 7
Estimating the relational well-being of siblings separated by out-of-home care
Waid, J. (2020) · Journal of Public Child Welfare · doi:10.1080/15548732.2020.1717715 · Cited by 7
The association mechanism between social network types and health‐related behaviours among the elderly in rural Hubei Province, China
Ye, L., & Zhang, X. (2021) · The International Journal of Health Planning and Management · doi:10.1002/hpm.3125 · Cited by 7
A longitudinal study of the moderating effects of romantic relationships on the associations between alcohol use and trauma in college students
Smith, R. L., Dick, D. M., Amstadter, A. B., Thomas, N., the Spit for Science Working Group, & Salvatore, J. E. (2021) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.15490 · Cited by 7
Examining Relationship-Level Predictors of Individual-Level Health in Long Distance Relationships
Bois, S. N. D., Woodward, H., Manser, K., Saigal, S. D., Santic, F., Tully, T., & Sher, T. (2021) · The Family Journal · doi:10.1177/10664807211054151 · Cited by 11
“Throughout childhood and adolescence, the most influential relationships in an individual’s life tend to be with parents and peers, but as individuals enter adulthood the most important social relationship tends to be with a romantic partner (Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
Couple Analysis in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project
Wong, J. S., & Hsieh, N. (2021) · The Journals of Gerontology Series B · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbab061 · Cited by 7
Marital Quality and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Hispanic Adults in the United States
Nazario-Acevedo, J. M., Yamashita, T., Bulanda, J. R., & Brown, J. S. (2024) · The Journals of Gerontology Series B · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbae032 · Cited by 8
The mediating role of family cohesion in the relationship between death anxiety and readiness toward advance care planning among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study
Gao, F., Chui, P. L., Che, C. C., & Wang, K. (2024) · Geriatric Nursing · doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.10.061 · Cited by 6
What are the consequences of musculoskeletal pain in adolescents? A critical qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis
Phillips, N., Brown, B. T., Hestbæk, L., Lauridsen, H. H., Miller, A., Magson, N. R., & Swain, M. S. (2025) · Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2025.105418 · Cited by 7
Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
Francis, M. W., Smith, R. L., Miola, R., Yang, Y., Bannard, T., Burns, V. F., Cleveland, M. J., Karimova, K., LaBelle, O. P., Murphy, D. G., et al. (2025) · Frontiers in Adolescent Medicine · doi:10.3389/fradm.2025.1602130 · Cited by 6
Interrogating Theories and Mechanisms Underlying Educational Inequities in Diet Quality
Olstad, D. L., & McIntyre, L. (2025) · Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.09.015 · Cited by 7
“This support can assist individuals to cope with life challenges — thereby diminishing psychosocial stress and enhancing access to resources that can support healthy eating [76,77].”
Familie und Gesundheit
Becker, O. A., Loter, K., & Becker, S. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-06477-8_45-1 · Cited by 7
Excess Mortality by Individual and Spousal Education for Recent and Long-Term Widowed
Östergren, O., Fors, S., & Rehnberg, J. (2021) · The Journals of Gerontology Series B · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbab227 · Cited by 6
“This is in line with previous studies suggesting that women take greater responsibility for the health of the family (Umberson, 1992; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Marital Quality and Alcohol Use among Couples in Mid- and Later-Life
Bulanda, J. R., Curl, A. L., & Roberts, A. R. (2022) · Journal of Applied Gerontology · doi:10.1177/07334648221143305 · Cited by 6
“One way spouses may affect one another’s alcohol use is via social control, monitoring and actively discouraging unhealthy alcohol consumption (Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
Does parental separation moderate the heritability of health risk behavior among adolescents?
Dierker, P., Kühn, M., & Mönkediek, B. (2023) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116070 · Cited by 6
A Bridge Too Far? Social Network Structure as a Determinant of Depression in Later Life
Qu, T.-Y. (2024) · Social Science & Medicine (1967) · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116684 · Cited by 5
A Systematic Review of Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake, Hesitancy, and Acceptability Among Adults with HIV: Implications for Integrating COVID-19 Immunization into HIV Care
Gray, A., Alemohammad, S. Y., Ramírez‐Ortiz, D., & Trepka, M. J. (2024) · AIDS Patient Care and STDs · doi:10.1089/apc.2024.0097 · Cited by 6
Digital and other forms of contact between older European parents and children: the role of internet use, digital skills, emotional and geographical distance
Arpino, B., & Failli, D. (2024) · Community Work & Family · doi:10.1080/13668803.2024.2418570 · Cited by 6
“In later life, the family holds substantial importance within individuals’ social networks, serving as a primary source of support and social control (Carr & Springer, 2010; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Lebenslaufforschung in der Epidemiologie und den Sozialwissenschaften. Gemeinsam einsam?
Richter, M., Günther, S., & Herke, M. (2016) · Das Gesundheitswesen · doi:10.1055/s-0042-108642 · Cited by 6
Prolonged or serious conflicts at work and incident dementia: a 23-year follow-up of the Copenhagen City Heart Study
Ishtiak‐Ahmed, K., Hansen, Å. M., Mortensen, E. L., Garde, A. H., Nørgaard, A., Gyntelberg, F., Rod, N. H., Islamoska, S., Lund, R., Phung, T. K. T., et al. (2018) · International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health · doi:10.1007/s00420-018-1365-9 · Cited by 7
Social relationships, neighbourhood poverty and cumulative biological risk: findings from a multi-racial US urban community
LeBrón, A. M. W., Schulz, A. J., Mentz, G. B., Israel, B. A., & Stokes, C. (2019) · Journal of Biosocial Science · doi:10.1017/s002193201900004x · Cited by 9
“…may be associated with favourable self-reported health and clinically assessed indicators of reduced cardiovascular risk (Seeman et al., 2004b; Uchino, 2006, 2009; Umberson & Montez, 2010), and that neighbourhood SEP and social support are linked to health (Franzini et al., 2005; Kim, 2010).”
Background
Friends’ childhood adversity and long‐term implications for substance misuse: a prospective Swedish cohort study
Bishop, L., & Almquist, Y. B. (2020) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.15174 · Cited by 6
Midlife Marital and Financial Stress and the Progression of Later-Life Health Problems for Husbands and Wives
Wickrama, K. A. S., & O’Neal, C. W. (2021) · Journal of Aging and Health · doi:10.1177/08982643211004364 · Cited by 6
“…to exercise and take prescribed medications and joint healthpromoting activities) and facilitate self-regulation of positive health behaviors (e.g., encouragement) but also deter negative health behaviors (e.g., decreasing the availability of unhealthy food at home; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
The Long Shadow of Peers: Adolescent Networks and Young Adult Mental Health
Copeland, M. (2021) · Social Sciences · doi:10.3390/socsci10060231 · Cited by 6
“Adolescence is a sensitive period of the life course for social development when connections with same-age peers become focal relationships that guide identity, behaviors, and mental health (Cotterell 2007; Johnson et al. 2011; Umberson et al. 2010).”
Background
Family- and School-Based Sources of Resilience Among Children of Incarcerated Parents
Copp, J. E., Giordano, P. C., Longmore, M. A., & Manning, W. D. (2022) · Children of incarcerated parents · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-84713-5_3 · Cited by 6
Do mothers or females without children have better health-related quality of life across their reproductive years?
Jin, C., Tooth, L. R., Xu, X., & Mishra, G. D. (2023) · Quality of Life Research · doi:10.1007/s11136-022-03338-1 · Cited by 6
“Second, motherhood may create a sense of responsibility that leads mothers to adopt healthy lifestyles and protect their health in order to take care of their children [31].”
Background
Social Network Diversity and Mental Health Among Mothers of Individuals With Autism
Dembo, R. S., Seltzer, M. M., Rudolph, A. E., Huntington, N., DaWalt, L. S., & Mitra, M. (2023) · American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-128.2.101 · Cited by 6
Maternal social isolation and behavioral problems in preschool children: the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study
Murakami, K., Ishikuro, M., Obara, T., Ueno, F., Noda, A., Onuma, T., Matsuzaki, F., Takahashi, I., Kikuchi, S., Kobayashi, N., et al. (2023) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-023-02199-4 · Cited by 6
Structural Inequities in the Kin Safety Net: Mapping the Three-Generational Network throughout Early Adulthood
Sohn, H. (2023) · American Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1086/724817 · Cited by 7
Health consequences of same and opposite-sex unions: partnership, parenthood, and cardiovascular risk among young adults
Frech, A., Lynch, J. L., & Barr, P. B. (2015) · Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s10865-015-9673-y · Cited by 6
“Researchers have long documented the health benefits of social relationships, often finding that the married have lower levels of mortality, report fewer risky behaviors such as smoking or drinking, and have access to greater socioeconomic resources that help to maintain good health (Burke et al., 2004; Harris et al.,…”
Background
Physical and social factors associated with early adolescent headache and stomachache pain
Fife, B., & Forste, R. (2016) · International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health · doi:10.1515/ijamh-2016-0062 · Cited by 6
How Much Can Be Expected of One Child? Consequences of Multiplexity of Mothers’ Support Preferences on Adult Children’s Psychological Well-Being
Suitor, J. J., Gilligan, M., Peng, S., & Rurka, M. M. (2018) · Frontiers in sociology and social research · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-71544-5_13 · Cited by 6
Exploring how structural and cognitive social capital influence preventive health behavior
Limbu, Y. B., Jayachandran, C., McKinley, C. J., & Choi, J.-H. (2018) · Health Education · doi:10.1108/he-09-2017-0045 · Cited by 6
Safe sex norm questionnaire for female sex workers: development and validation study in Iran
Shushtari, Z. J., Hosseini, S. A., Sajjadi, H., Salimi, Y., Shahesmaeili, A., & Snijders, T. A. B. (2018) · Public Health · doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2018.07.023 · Cited by 6
“One of the important social network characteristics that affects health and risk behaviors is social norms and support of networkmembers for existing social norms.(22,25,26) According to the literature, social norms can be associated with several health and risk behaviors such as smoking,(27,28) exercising,(29,30) wei…”
Background
Health Promotion and People with Intellectual Disability
Marks, B., Sisirak, J., & Heller, T. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-90083-4_18 · Cited by 7
Spirituality, Social Support, and Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study of People Enrolled in a Nurse-Led Diabetes Management Program in Peru
Krederdt, S., Domínguez-Cancino, K. A., Jiménez-Cordova, R., Paz-Villanueva, M. Y., Fernandez, J. M., Leyva‐Moral, J. M., & Palmieri, P. A. (2019) · Hispanic Health Care International · doi:10.1177/1540415319847493 · Cited by 6
“Furthermore, social support is hypothesized to generate an indirect effect by facilitating healthy behaviors (Gallo et al., 2015; Uchino, 2006; Umberson et al., 2010).”
Background
Does Journaling Encourage Healthier Choices? Analyzing Healthy Eating Behaviors of Food Journalers
Achananuparp, P., Lim, E., & Abhishek, V. (2018) · Singapore Management University Institutional Knowledge (InK) (Singapore Management University) · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1805.01129 · Cited by 6
“frequency (h) Sugary drink frequency Figure 2: Average daily servings and frequencies Social connections: Social ties have shown to have both the positive and negative influences on health behaviors [43]. For instance, daily consumption of fruits and vegetables [34] and overall weight loss [28] were associated with hi…”
Background
Adolescent social isolation and premature mortality in a Swedish birth cohort
Högnäs, R. S., Almquist, Y. B., & Modin, B. (2019) · Journal of Population Research · doi:10.1007/s12546-019-09237-6 · Cited by 10
Individual and social predictors of smoking and obesity: A panel study in Germany
Monfared, I. G., Harttgen, K., & Vollmer, S. (2020) · SSM - Population Health · doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100558 · Cited by 6
Instrumental Support from Parents and Substance Use During the Transition to Adulthood
Lloyd, K. M., & Turanovic, J. J. (2020) · Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology · doi:10.1007/s40865-020-00154-4 · Cited by 6
Perseverative Cognition and Snack Choice: An Online Pilot Investigation
Eschle, T. M., & McCarrick, D. J. (2021) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs11030033 · Cited by 7
“Indeed, the impact of psychological stress has long been implicated in a variety of poorer health outcomes [11–13], with stress-induced health behaviours having been found to stimulate or intensify these further [14].”
Background
Adolescent Dental Fear and Anxiety
Townsend, J. A., & Randall, C. L. (2021) · Dental Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/j.cden.2021.07.002 · Cited by 6

Authors: Umberson, D., Crosnoe, R., & Reczek, C.
Affiliations: The University of Texas at Austin (US)
ORCID: Umberson, Debra
Crosnoe, Robert
Reczek, Corinne
Venue: Annual Review of Sociology
Publisher: Annual Reviews
Published: 2010-06-01
Volume: 36
Issue: 1
Pages: 139-157
ISSN: 0360-0572 (ISSN-L)
1545-2115
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-120011
PMC: PMC3171805
OpenAlex: W2141249644
Cited by: 1,226
References: 149
Citations by year: 2026: 66 · 2025: 101 · 2024: 105 · 2023: 99 · 2022: 103 · 2021: 120 · 2020: 101 · 2019: 85 · 2018: 91 · 2017: 79 · 2016: 72 · 2015: 67 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 50 · 2012: 28
FWCI: 4.83
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Locations: Annual Review of Sociology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: National Institute on Aging (R01AG026613)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R03HD078754, R24HD042849, R01HD055359)
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords: interpersonal relationships, health behavior, life course, social ties, childhood and adolescence, adulthood, early life experience, health outcomes, social determinants of health

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Social Relationships and Health Behavior Across the Life Course

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Self-check

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks