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Optimism and Social Support Predict Healthier Adult Behaviors Despite Socially Disadvantaged Childhoods

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Abstract

Background

Studies have shown adverse effects of a disadvantaged childhood on adult health-promoting behaviors and related outcomes. Optimism and social support have been linked to greater likelihood of engaging in healthy behavior, but it is unclear whether these positive psychosocial factors may buffer harmful effects of early adversity. This study aims to determine if optimism and social support in adulthood can modify effects of childhood disadvantage on health behavior-related outcomes.

Methods

Longitudinal data were analyzed from a subset of participants in a US birth cohort established in 1959–1966 (ns of 681–840, per outcome). An index of childhood social disadvantage was derived from adverse socioeconomic and family stability factors reported by mothers at child’s birth and age 7 years. Health behavior-related outcomes were self-reported when participants were of mean age 47 years. Multivariable adjusted robust Poisson regressions were performed.

Results

Regardless of level of childhood social disadvantage, we found higher levels of optimism and social support were both associated with higher probabilities of being a non-smoker (relative risk [RR]optimism = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09–1.26; RRsocial support = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.11–1.39), having a healthy diet (RRoptimism = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.10–1.43; RRsocial support = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.04–1.56), and a healthy body mass index (RRoptimism = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.00–1.40; RRsocial support = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.00–1.66). Interactions link higher optimism or social support with lower risk of smoking among those with moderate childhood disadvantage.

Conclusions

Overall, these findings are consistent with the possibility that positive psychosocial resources contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle in mid-adulthood and may buffer effects of childhood social disadvantage.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all study participants.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Aging (RC2AG036666, R01AG048825, and R01AG023397) and the Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Amy L. Non & Elizabeth S. Clausing

  2. Department of Math and Statistics, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Jorge Carlos Román

  3. Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, MD, USA

    Stephen E. Gilman

  4. Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Stephen E. Gilman

  5. Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA

    Eric B. Loucks & Stephen L. Buka

  6. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY, USA

    Allison A. Appleton

  7. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Laura D. Kubzansky

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  1. Amy L. Non
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  2. Jorge Carlos Román
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Correspondence to Amy L. Non.

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Non, A.L., Román, J.C., Clausing, E.S. et al. Optimism and Social Support Predict Healthier Adult Behaviors Despite Socially Disadvantaged Childhoods. Int.J. Behav. Med. 27, 200–212 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-020-09849-w

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