Social and Emotional Support and its Implication for Health (original) (raw)
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Social Science & Medicine, 2012
Contemporary models postulate the importance of psychological mechanisms linking perceived and received social support to physical health outcomes. In this review, we examine studies that directly tested the potential psychological mechanisms responsible for links between social support and healthrelevant physiological processes (1980se2010). Inconsistent with existing theoretical models, no evidence was found that psychological mechanisms such as depression, perceived stress, and other affective processes are directly responsible for links between support and health. We discuss the importance of considering statistical/design issues, emerging conceptual perspectives, and limitations of our existing models for future research aimed at elucidating the psychological mechanisms responsible for links between social support and physical health outcomes.
The health-related functions of social support
Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 1981
Social support research has been hampered by a lack of clarity both in the definitions of social support and in the conceptualization of its effects on health outcomes. The present study compared social network size and three types of perceived social support—tangible, emotional, and informational —in relation to stressful life events, psychological symptoms and morale, and physical health status in a sample of 100 persons 45–64 years old. Social network size was empirically separable from, though correlated with, perceived social support and had a weaker overall relationship to outcomes than did support. Low tangible support and emotional support, in addition to certain life events, were independently related to depression and negative morale; informational support was associated with positive morale. Neither social support nor stressful life events were associated with physical health. It was concluded that social support research would benefit from attention to the multidimensionality of support and greater specificity in hypotheses about the relationship between types of support and adaptational outcomes.
BMC Public Health, 2012
Background: Cross-sectional studies have reported associations between social support and health, but prospective evidence is less conclusive. This study aims to investigate the associations of positive and negative experiences of social support with current and future lifestyle factors, biological risk factors, self-perceived health and mental health over a 10-year period. Methods: Data were from 4,724 Dutch men and women aged 26-65 years who participated in the second ) study round of the Doetinchem Cohort Study. Social support was measured at round two using the Social Experiences Checklist. Health was assessed by several indicators such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, overweight, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, self-perceived health and mental health. Tertiles of positive and negative experiences of social support were analysed in association with repeated measurements of prevalence and incidence of several health indicators using generalised estimating equations (GEE). Results: Positive and negative experiences of social support were associated with prevalence and incidence of poor mental health. For the lowest tertile of positive support, odds ratios were 2.74 (95% CI 2.32-3.23) for prevalent poor mental health and 1.86 (95% CI 1.39-2.49) for incident poor mental health. For the highest tertile of negatively experienced support, odds ratios for prevalent and incident poor mental health were 3.28 (95% CI 2.78-3.87) and 1.60 (95% CI 1.21-2.12), respectively. Low levels of positive experiences of social support were also associated with low current intake of fruits and vegetables, but not with future intake. Negative experiences of social support were additionally associated with current smoking, physical inactivity, overweight and poor self-perceived health. Furthermore, high levels of negative experiences of social support were associated with future excessive alcohol consumption (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.10-1.84), physical inactivity (95% CI 1.28; 1.03-1.58) and poor self-perceived health (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.01-1.82).
Does the Source of Support Matter for Different Health Outcomes?
Journal of Aging and Health, 2001
Objectives: This study investigated the differential relationships between different types and sources of social support and physical and mental health. Methods:Using data from the Normative Aging Study, 1,386 older men (median age = 62.7 years) were categorized into four groups separately for frequency of interaction with networks and perceived support. Results:More than half the sample reported high levels of support from both sources. One-way ANOVAs revealed that those with high perceived support from both sources reported better physical health and fewer depressive symptoms than those with lowsupport from both sources or high support from family alone. Similarly, those with high perceived support from both sources had lower levels of depressive symptoms than those with low support from both sources, but frequency of contactwas unrelated to physical health. Discussion:In general, those with high support from both family and friends reported the highest level of well-being.
Psychological Science, 2003
This study examines the relative contributions of giving versus receiving support to longevity in a sample of older married adults. Baseline indicators of giving and receiving support were used to predict mortality status over a 5-year period in the Changing Lives of Older Couples sample. Results from logistic regression analyses indicated that mortality was significantly reduced for individuals who reported providing instrumental support to friends, relatives, and neighbors, and individuals who reported providing emotional support to their spouse. Receiving support had no effect on mortality once giving support was taken into consideration. This pattern of findings was obtained after controlling for demographic, personality, health, mental health, and marital-relationship variables. These results have implications for understanding how social contact influences health and longevity.
Social support: how does it really work?
Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2006
Social support: how does it really workT his study examines social support effect on stress and adaptation through the mediating effect of control Participants m the study were 12 male and 65 female rheumatoid arthritis patients who were being treated m the outpatient clinics of three large hospitals m Israel Findings suggest that social support did have a significant effect on stress and adaptation, though this effect was through the mediating effect of control and not as a huffer as was suggested previously Implications of the results for nursing science are discussed
Social support: some pragmatic implications for health care professionals
Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1996
The role of social support in promoting recovery from chronic illness has been the focus of a debate within the nursing and social science research communities This paper reviews the literature on this important issue and discusses the implications for patient management In providing holistic patient care, health care professionals need to reflect on the impact of this research for their clinical practice