Social exclusion, social support, and trauma

Humans have an inherent need to forge stable and quality social connections. One key benefit of having social connections is obtaining social support for navigating traumatic or otherwise stressful events. Ostracism (i.e. being both ignored and excluded, Williams, 2009) and other forms of social exclusion rob individuals of the opportunity to receive social support and likely contribute to stress-related mental health concerns. My colleagues and I tested this premise in different stress-related contexts, ranging from college students struggling with potentially stigmatizing secrets to community members who have experienced various types of traumatic incidents (e.g., miscarriage, military combat). We examined the connections among perceived ostracism, social support, and traumatic stress. We also examined the complex dynamics of how social support can be both beneficial and harmful depending upon how it is expressed and received. Future research could examine chronic ostracism as a form of psychological trauma.