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Contents
- Abstract
- Models of the Support Process
- Support as a Main Effect
- Support as a Stress Buffer
- Social Resources That Operate as Stress Buffers
- Measurement of Stress, Social Support, and Symptomatology
- Measuring Stress
- Measuring Symptomatology
- Measuring Social Support
- Methodological Issues
- Statistical Analyses
- Characteristics of Studies
- Prospective Analyses
- Properties for Adequate Tests
- Research Review
- Studies Using Structural Measures of Support
- Specific Structural Measures
- Global Structural Support Scales
- Studies Using Functional Measures
- Studies Using Specific Functional Measures
- Confidant measures
- Measures of individual support functions
- Studies Using Global Functional Measures
- Internally Consistent Compound Functional Measures
- Complex-global indexes of functional support
- Complex-global indexes of functional support: Studies of perceived occupational stress
- Discussion
- Evidence for Buffering and Main Effect Models
- Evidence for the buffering model
- Evidence for the main effect model
- Pure buffering or buffering plus main effect?
- Other Issues Clarified in this Review
- Buffering effects do not result from an artifactual confounding of stress and social support measurement
- Perception of available functional support operates as a buffer
- Quality of available support is important
- There are individual and group differences in support needs
- There is little evidence for a negative effect of social networks on symptomatology
- Directions for Further Research
- How does social support work?
- Is social support related to serious health outcomes?
- How are perceptions of support formed and maintained?
- What are the issues in developing social support measures adequate to the tasks previously outlined?
- Is social support the causal factor in the studies supporting main effect and buffering models?
- Conclusion
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Abstract
The purpose of this article is to determine whether the positive association between social support and well-being is attributable more to an overall beneficial effect of support (main- or direct-effect model) or to a process of support protecting persons from potentially adverse effects of stressful events (buffering model). The review of studies is organized according to (a) whether a measure assesses support structure or function, and (b) the degree of specificity (vs. globality) of the scale. By structure we mean simply the existence of relationships, and by function we mean the extent to which one’s interpersonal relationships provide particular resources. Special attention...