Yong, Jose C., Hartanto, Andree, and Tan, Jacinth J.X. (2021) Subjective social status and inflammation: The role of culture and anger control. Health Psychology, 40 (1). pp. 62-70.

PDF (Published Version) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only

Abstract

Objective: Research on subjective social status (SSS) and inflammation risk suffers from a lack of cross-cultural data as well as inconsistent findings between SSS and the biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP). The current study addressed these issues by examining possible cultural differences in the SSS-CRP link with anger control as an underlying mechanism while controlling for potential confounds such as wealth, education, and health factors.

Method: Participants comprised 1,435 adults from the Biomarker Project of the MIDUS (American) and MIDJA (Japanese) studies. Participants’ SSS and tendency to control anger were assessed through surveys, and their CRP levels were measured through fasting blood samples.

Results: Results showed that for Americans, CRP levels increased as SSS decreased, but for the Japanese, there was no relationship between SSS and CRP. Furthermore, this moderating effect of culture was mediated by anger control such that Americans controlled their anger less as SSS decreased, which then predicted higher levels of CRP, whereas the Japanese controlled their anger less as SSS increased, but this relationship did not predict CRP levels. These findings were specific to anger control (and not other varieties of anger) and robust to adjustment for a variety of potential confounds.

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that culture exerts a moderating effect on the relationship between SSS and CRP, and this effect occurs through cultural differences in how SSS relates to anger control. The current study also highlights the need to consider cultural factors and psychosocial processes in further research on SSS and health.

Item ID:	83500
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1930-7810
Copyright Information:	© 2020 American Psychological Association
Date Deposited:	03 Sep 2024 00:22
FoR Codes:	42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4202 Epidemiology > 420201 Behavioural epidemiology @ 30% 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5205 Social and personality psychology > 520505 Social psychology @ 30% 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4206 Public health > 420606 Social determinants of health @ 40%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280112 Expanding knowledge in the health sciences @ 34% 28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280121 Expanding knowledge in psychology @ 33% 28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280123 Expanding knowledge in human society @ 33%
Downloads:	Total: 2 Last 12 Months: 2
	More Statistics