ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that two forms of social capital; helping networks and sense of "fitting" into the community had a direct effect on decreasing symptoms of depression. Social exchange and helping networks have been found in other settings to facilitate coping with difficult situations, especially when these situations put increased demands on individuals for time, energy and material resources. Other studies have found that community attachment is positively related to mental health for rural residents in the American Midwest. Symptoms of depression were measured with a modified version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a self-reported depressed-mood or symptom scale. The CES-D scale elicits symptoms of depression in general community settings during the week before the interview. Factor analysis was used to divide the CES-D into specific dimensions of depression. These dimensions are depressed affect, somatic-retarded activity, interpersonal relations, and positive affect.
