Social support, hopelessness and life satisfaction among Roma and non-Roma adolescents in Slovakia.
OBJECTIVE
Evidence on the psychosocial determinants of health among Roma adolescents is completely lacking. Our aim was to compare social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness of Slovak Roma and non-Roma adolescents and to assess the impact of parental education and social desirability on these differences.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study among Roma from settlements in the eastern part of Slovakia (N = 330; mean age = 14.50; interview) and non-Roma adolescents (N = 722; mean age = 14.86; questionnaire). The effect of ethnicity on social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness was analysed using linear regression, adjusted for gender, parental education and social desirability.


RESULTS
Roma adolescents reported higher social support from parents, higher life satisfaction and higher hopelessness rates. Parental education explained part of the ethnic differences, as did social desirability. After adjustment for the aforementioned factors, differences by ethnicity remained statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Roma adolescents experience higher levels of social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness than non-Roma adolescents. Reduction of hopelessness feelings while maintaining levels of social support and life satisfaction among Roma adolescents should be a topic for both intervention and further research.
Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, P.J. Safarik University, Košice, Slovakia. peter.kolarcik@upjs.sk
P
P
Kolarcik
A Madarasova
AM
Geckova
S A
SA
Reijneveld
J P
JP
van Dijk
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D006178:Romani People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018154:Slovakia; D012928:Social Desirability; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires