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Cited by 1,224Family Dynamics and RelationshipsHealth disparities and outcomesAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

Family Status and Health Behaviors: Social Control as a Dimension of Social Integration

Umberson, Debra·1987·Journal of Health and Social Behavior
DOI 10.2307/2136848
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Abstract

Age-adjusted mortality rates are higher for the unmarried and nonparents than for the married and parents. The effects of marital and parental status on mortality are usually attributed to the positive effects of social integration or social support. The mechanisms by which social support or integration is linked to health outcomes, however, remain largely unexplored. One mechanism may involve health behaviors; the family relationships of marriage and parenting may provide external regulation and facilitate self-regulation of health behaviors which can affect health. The present study employs a national sample to examine the relationships of marital and parenting status to a variety of health behaviors. Results indicate that marriage and presence of children in the home have a deterrent effect on negative health behaviors. It is suggested, within the theoretical framework of social integration, that family roles promote social control of health behaviors which affect subsequent mortality.

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  • Social control theory proposes that internalized obligations and overt influence from network members discourage unhealthy behaviors and encourage healthy ones.

    “Social control theory holds that internalized obligations to, and the overt influence of, network members tend to discourage poor health behaviors and encourage good health behaviors.3”

    From Social isolation (2011) · cites this paper as [3]

  • Marriage is associated with a greater likelihood of health-promoting behaviors such as exercise, presumably because spouses influence these behaviors.

    “Being married is associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in health-promoting behaviors such as exercise,5–7 presumably because marital partners exert some influence over these behaviors.8,9”

    From Social isolation (2011) · cites this paper as [8]

  • Young children, being unmarried, working long hours, overweight and obesity, and measures of poor health including acute and chronic respiratory conditions, pain, and anxiety increase the odds of short sleep and have a null or inverse association with long sleep.

    “Young children, being unmarried (19,26), working long hours (11,27,28), overweight and obesity (3-5), and measures of poor health (13,14,16,20,37,38,40) including acute and chronic respiratory conditions, pain, and anxiety increase the odds of short sleep and have a null or inverse association with long sleep.”

    From Sleep Duration in the United States: A Cross-sectional Population-based Study (2009) · cites this paper as [28]

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Authors
Umberson, D.
Affiliations
University of Michigan (US)
Corresponding author
Umberson, Debra
ORCID
Umberson, Debra
Venue
Journal of Health and Social Behavior
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
1987-09
Volume
28
Issue
3
Pages
306
ISSN
0022-1465 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2307/2136848
OpenAlex
W2064812121
Cited by
1,224
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 50 · 2018: 55 · 2017: 74 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 39 · 2014: 48 · 2013: 58 · 2012: 45
FWCI
40.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Health and Social Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (5-T32-MH16806-05, T32MH016806)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords
marital status, parental status, family status, health behavior, social control, social integration, social support, mortality, self-regulation, family roles, unmarried adults
MeSH terms
Behavior, Family, Health, Humans, Models, Psychological, Mortality, Social Adjustment, Social Control, Informal, United States

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