Since the mid-1970s, there have been an increasingly diverse range of research methods, instruments, and processes of studying social support (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000) and many definitions of the construct (Hupcey, 1998). Along with the increased interest in the social factors that influence psychological and physical health (Cohen & Syme, 1985), the diverse ways of examining social support have lead to a large literature base ranging from work in the medical and epidemiological fields (Cohen & Syme, 1985; Hupcey, 1998) to social, clinical, and personality psychology (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000).While there appears to be a great deal of interest in social support, some have argued that there is a basic problem with its definition (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000; Hupcey, 1998; Shumaker & Brownell, 1984). In the present study, Laireiter and Baumann's (1992) taxonomy of social support was used to review 22 definitions. This taxonomy includes: a) social integration, b) social network, c) supportive climate, d) received support, and e) perceived support. Although most reviewed definitions lack an empirical basis, social support appears to be a valuable concept that deserves further attention (Hupcey, 1998; Laireiter & Baumann, 1992; Vaux, 1988).The present study uses data from a previous study of cancer patients' social support, personality characteristics, and adjustment to their illnesses (Barton, 2001). The five social support measures used in Barton, 2001 were: the Social Network Index, the Family Relationship Index, the Modes of Social Support scale, the Negative Interactions scale, and the Satisfaction with and Received Support scales, appeared to address each of the components of the Laireiter and Baumann's (1992) taxonomy. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study examined the relationship between social support and self-care agency in post myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Hypothesis I stated that total social support and it's three subscales are positively related to total self-care agency and it's six subscales. Hypothesis II stated that the three subscales of social support will predict total selfcare agency in post MI patients. A convenience sample of 28 post myocardial infarction patients from a large midwestern metropolitan hospital participated in the study. The Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (NSSQ) was used to measure the social support variable. The Denyes Self-Care Agency Instrument (DSCAI) was utilized to measure the self-care agency variable. The study supported a positive and significant relationship between social support and self-care agency. The study further supported significant relationships between the subscales of social support and four of the subscales of self-care agency. Affect (a subscale of social support), contributed to 27% of the variance in selfcare agency. The results demonstrated congruent findings with previous studies, reflecting a positive and significant relationship between social support and self-care agency. The study findings have implications for improving nursing practice for myocardial infarction patients and for further nursing research among this population. / School of Nursing

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Repeatedly, researchers have reported on the health benefits resulting from social support (Cohen-Mansfield, 2000; Lee, 1985; & Siebert & Mutran, 1999). Despite this testimony, social support eludes a clear definition and has been predicted to decline with debility and aging. Additionally, institutionalization and medicalization may potentiate this decline. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the characteristics of social support, and the influencing factors of social support in a nursing home environment. The settings for this research were two central Florida nursing homes that differed according to the diversity of their populations. Observations and staff questionnaires were analyzed in order to answer the following research questions: (a) How is social support manifested in elderly nursing home populations? (b) How do staff behaviors influence social support among elderly nursing home residents? (c) How do nursing home policies influence social support among elderly nursing home residents? (d) How do economic differences influence social support among elderly nursing home populations? Collected data from observations, and questionnaires, were sorted and coded according to emerging patterns and themes. The analysis of these data contributed to answers to the research questions. Manifestations of social support within this environ were very limited. Residents exchanged greetings, occasionally looked after their roommates' needs, or assisted them down a hall in a wheelchair. Although infrequently observed, reciprocal resident tasks appeared to have significant resident value. Staff behaviors and facility policies appeared to be determined by governmental mandates and resulted in resident dependency. Economic differences appeared to be essentially aesthetic and had limited impact on residents and social support. The exception was the impact that economics seemed to have on resident demographics and levels of cognition. A greater health care provider understanding of the manifestations of social support and the sociopolitical and economic influences of social support in elderly nursing home populations can positively impact future policy, education, and the lives of elderly individuals.

This study tested the relationship between Social Support, Psychological Distress, and Illness Stress in individuals who report cancer as a health condition. This study was based on archival data obtained from the Wave 1 of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The HRS provides a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 51 to 61 in 1992 and their spouses. The study sample was limited to cancer patients with a spouse or partner (n = 503). A structural equation modeling analysis procedure was used to test the theoretical models. Measures of social support were limited to variables assessing the participant's satisfaction with social support. Evidence was found for the Stress Prevention and the Support Deterioration models. This is congruent with previous research using measures of social support perception. Both the Stress Prevention and the Support Deterioration models predict a negative relationship between Illness Stress and Social Support. In addition, a univariate analysis of variance was used to test the stress buffering model. Similarly to other studies measuring the individual's degree of integration, or its perception, in the social network, the present research supported the only the Main Effect model and not the Stress Buffering model.

This study examined the applicability of Mishel's model of uncertainty in illness (1990) to the adaptation process of women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The power of uncertainty and social support to predict an uncertainty appraisal and its corresponding coping strategy utilized in this population were examined.Structural equation modeling was employed to clarify the relationships among uncertainty, social support, the appraisal of uncertainty as either danger or opportunity, and coping as either emotion-focused or problem-focused. One hundred sixty-five participants completed the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS-A), the Appraisal of Uncertainty Scale (AUS), the Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS), and the Social Provision Scale (SPS). After an analysis of several measures of goodness-of-fit, the original model was modified based on theory, the modification indices, and a review of the maximum likelihood estimates (mle) for structural paths. These modifications resulted in a competing model. Finally, a Chi-square test was performed comparing the goodness-of-fit indices of the competing models.Results indicated that Mishel's model is a useful model within which to conceptualize the issues faced by women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Mishel's model performed adequately; however, the overall goodness-of-fit was significantly improved by modifications which placed greater emphasis on social support. Social support and uncertainty exerted approximately equal effect on a danger appraisal and in the revised model only social support predicted an opportunity appraisal. Results also suggested that uncertainty had a direct effect on emotion-focused coping regardless of the appraisal of the uncertainty as danger or opportunity. The current study did not unequivocally support Mishel's assertion that uncertainty may be evaluated as an opportunity. Although uncertainty demonstrated a significant inverse relationship with an opportunity appraisal in the original model, in the revised model, which considered the direct effects of social support on the appraisal process, uncertainty failed to have a significant effect. Given the depth of evidence and applicability of Mishel's original model, additional research is necessary to determine whether these results are specific to the experience of fibromyalgia or perhaps social support is an under-appreciated factor in Mishel's model. Implications for treatment and directions for future research are explored. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Having identified the need to provide services to elderly, homebound people with arthritis, the Social Work Department at the Vancouver Arthritis Centre initiated an Arthritis Telephone Contact Program in Autumn, 1989. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not a weekly telephone call from volunteers would impact positively on subjects' physical and psychological functioning, level of pain and perceived level of social support. The 11 subjects in this study were elderly, Caucasian women identified by health care professionals as being socially isolated due, in part, to the limits placed on them by either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. The one-group pretest-posttest research design was employed for this study. Quantitative measures used were the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS) and the Perceived Social Support From Friends and From Family Scale (PSS-Fr & Fa). Interviews of subjects were conducted in order to describe the efficacy of the Telephone Contact Program from more than one perspective. Over 16 weeks, paired t-test found that the physical functioning of subjects had improved significantly. It was noted that there was a trend towards improved health status for the experimental group in that seven out of the eight subscales of AIMS measured improvement, while one subscale showed no change. Contrary to prediction, perception of social support from family members decreased significantly, as measured by the PSS-Fa scale. Pearson correlation coefficients found no association between changes in perception of social support and changes in health status. Interview data suggests that callers were perceived as sources of social support. Specifically, callers seemed to provide participants with emotional support, informational support, and positive social interaction. Overall, the data suggested that the Telephone Contact Program had the capability to evoke small, but clinically meaningfully improvements in the health status of elderly women with arthritis. Further investigation into the use of telephone contact programs as a minimal intervention is advised. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Social support is likely to play an especially important role in coping with a cancer diagnosis as it presents a unique set of stressors to the individual. The purpose of this study was to examine biological sex differences in the perceived availability of three modes of social support (emotional, instrumental, and informational), source of support (friends vs. family), and social support seeking behavior in a population of cancer patients. The sample included 71 men and 71 women who had been diagnosed with cancer within two years of the start of the study. No significant sex differences were found in social support seeking; however, results revealed that women perceived greater availability of emotional support as well as greater support from friends on all modes of social support than did men. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Individuals are living longer now than they have in the past. As a result, there is an increased incidence in illnesses that are more prevalent in later life. One group of illnesses that is more prevalent is age related dementia. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) are two common types of dementia found in the older adult population. Recent research suggests that these two types of dementia may both have a vascular component that is instrumental in their development. Not only may this vascular component be present in both these illnesses, but also it may be related to a more severe cognitive decline in the aging process. Results indicate that both cardiovascular disease and general and spousal social support in middle age are all three independent significant predictors of mild cognitive impairment and other non-normative cognitive impairment in later life. However, results do not indicate that social support moderates the relationship between cardiovascular disease and cognition.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work