17 General introduction 1 as a forensic psychiatric patient (Mezey, Youngman, Kretzschmar, & White, 2016; ter Haar-Pomp et al., 2019; Völker et al., 2016; Willis, 2018). Moreover, portraying this group as insane and dangerous in the media contributes to stigmatizing thoughts and beliefs about people with psychiatric disorders and criminal behavior (West, Yanos, & Mulay, 2014). Bearing in mind the consequences of stigma, on the one hand, prejudice and negative beliefs of people with a migration background, psychiatric problems, and criminal behavior (i.e., triple stigma) might lead to avoidant attitudes of social networks in society, for example neighbors and employers, towards patients (West et al., 2014). On the other hand, patients themselves may feel unfairly treated, have feelings of distrust, fear rejection or harm by others, or lack the social skills to develop and maintain social relationships, thus avoiding connections with others and participation in society (Link, Struening, Neese-Todd, Asmussen, & Phelan, 2001; Mezey et al., 2016; Thornicroft, Brohan, Rose, Sartorius, & Leese, 2009). Social network and mental health For many decades, the protective effects of social networks on mental health and health behavior has been universally emphasized in various theoretical models (Cohen & Wills, 1985; Glanz, Rimer, & Viswanath, 2008). Two dominant models – the main effect model and stress buffering model – are mutually used to explain the relationship between supportive social networks and mental health (Cohen, 2004; Cohen &Wills, 1985; Kawachi & Berkman, 2001). In the main effect model, several pathways of social networks (i.e., social influence, supporting resources, positive psychological states) influencing a person’s health promoting behaviors (e.g., treatment compliance, self-care, and avoiding risky situations) are identified, which directly affect (mental) health (Cohen, 2004). The stress buffering model describes several pathways in which social support influences a person’s response to stressful events, preventing responses that could compromise (mental) health (Cohen, 2004). In short, first, the perceived availability of social support (i.e., the belief that others will provide support) following a stressful event could help to reframe a person’s perception of the situation as potentially harmful and could increase a person’s perceived coping abilities, preventing stress responses. Second, perceived or received social support could diminish and prevent cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological responses following a stressful event, which in turn effects (mental) health. Furthermore, the social network is a multifaceted factor, including beforementioned structural and functional factors influencing mental health (Cohen & Wills, 1985). A more recent study therefore provided a comprehensive overview of seven theoretical mechanisms based on previous research through which social networks and social support
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