Clarkson-Hendrix study examining social connectedness in rural Appalachia is published

A manuscript by Dr. Michael Clarkson-Hendrix that examines the role of social connectedness among treatment-seeking adults has been published.

The study, “Recent daily life functioning among treatment-seeking adults in one Northern Appalachian mental health clinic: the role of social connectedness,” appears in the June issue of the journal Social Work in Mental Health.

Associate Professor Clarkson-Hendrix, of the Department of Sociocultural and Justice Sciences, focused his study on daily life functioning of this demographic group in Northern Appalachia.

Overall, participants demonstrated moderately high perceived recent daily life functioning levels. As social connectedness increased, perceived recent daily life functioning also increased for the study participants. However, further study is needed to better understand the social connectedness and daily life functioning relationship for this underserved population. 

The study can be found here 

Clarkson-Hendrix, also a faculty member in the Fredonia Program Evaluation Center, has an interest in rural population health and plans to utilize the manuscript in courses that he teaches in the areas of social work in health care and health policy.