No / Aims and objectives. The current study sought to identify how many mothers from 149 visits carried out by seven health visitors identified support as a feature of the visit, whether this type of support was unique to the health visitor and what support meant to them. These responses were then compared with the taxonomies of social support from the social support literature. Background. Some studies of client perceptions describe support as an element of home visits by health visitors. However, the importance, relevance and impact on the client of this support are not described in detail. Social support theory suggests that there are tangible benefits to people's well-being and their ability to cope with various challenges that may arise from individuals' perceptions of receiving support. Design. Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Methods. Seven volunteer health visitors recruited 149 women into the study. These clients were interviewed by the researcher, usually within one week of the home visit by their health visitor. The discussions were audio-taped and the resulting transcripts analysed using content analysis. Findings. Thirty-seven women identified receiving support which they said was only available from the health visitor. The relevance of this support to the mother and the impact on her well-being varied within the group suggesting differing perceptions of support by clients according to their personal situation. There was a correspondence between the descriptions of support given by the women and the taxonomies of social support from the social support literature. Conclusion. For some interactions between clients and their health visitors the existing theory of social support may provide an explanation of how health visitors contribute to clients' perceived ability to cope and well-being. Relevance to clinical practice. Social support may be defined as a possible outcome of health visiting. This concept will have use within educational programmes to demonstrate to students how health visiting can have an impact on clients' well-being. Similarly, the concept could be used to investigate and record health visiting practice.

The influence of online customer reviews (OCRs) on consumer behaviour has recently gained considerable attention, from both academic and business communities. Technology allows customers to freely and easily post their comments and opinions online about any product or service. These types of customer reviews can have a significant effect on customers’ purchase decisions and have become an essential part of the experience when shopping online. However, knowledge of the role of the perceived derived attributes of OCRs on consumer behaviour remains vague. Previous studies have mainly focused on the influence of the virtual attributes of OCRs, such as volume and valence, on consumers’ intentions, while limited attention has been paid to understanding the effects of the derived attributes. This study, thus, aims to understand the effects of the social and functional perceived derived attributes of OCRs on customer trust and intention to shop online. Hence, we develop a research model - Perceived Derived Attributes (PDA) -, based on the integration of social support with functional support derived from OCRs. The PDA model provides an in-depth understanding of the role of the social support of OCRs by applying and utilising theories of social support, social presence and a sense of belonging. The PDA model also investigates the influence of the functional support arising from OCRs through the inclusion of perceived control, from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The PDA model characterises perceived social support through informational and emotional supports, social presence, and a sense of belonging; whereas, functional supports are characterised by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, and perceived control. A total of 489 responses to a survey were collected from users of amazon.com. The results from this study suggest that customer trust in an e-vendor and their intention to shop online are significantly affected by social and functional supports derived from OCRs. In particular, informational support, social presence and a sense of belonging, derived from OCRs were found to positively and significantly affect both customer trust in the online vendor and consumer behavioural intention. However, emotional support was only found to affect customers’ intentions and not their trust in the e-vendor. Additionally, customer trust in an e-vendor and their intention to shop online are significantly affected by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment of OCRs. Furthermore, the sense of control derived from OCRs significantly affects customer intention and significantly affects customer trust in e-vendors but only for customers who frequently check OCRs before making a purchase. This study is the first to introduce and empirically test the effects of perceived derived attributes of OCRs on customer trust and behavioural intention. Understanding the effects of such influencing factors is of utmost importance for both theoretical development and business practices. Clearly, these attributes of OCRs are linked to the development of the shopping environment, representing a promising marketing tool that positively affects customers’ behaviour.

Increasing evidence illustrates an involvement of stress in a large variety of physical and mental illness. Together with the evolutionary development of the social behavior in humans, the traditional interpretations of the attachment theory and the social support theory underscores the importance of affection, belonging and appreciation for human well-being. Not only can an imbalanced stress system be the cause of severe pathological consequences, insufficient social contact can also hamper recovery. Frequent usage of animals in various settings steadily illustrates both physiological and psychological benefits on both the young and the old, the healthy and the ill. Through the study of neurobiological factors, with oxytocin as a central mediator of social behavior and its  impact in turn on the stress- and cortisol system, this paper examines the possibility of animals to function as social support. The potential of animals to reduce the suffering in patients with stress related psychiatric disorders, such as the highly frequent exhaustion disorder, human-animal interactions might offer a non-invasive complementary tool to current treatment methods.

The issues surrounding asylum seekers in host countries like Sweden are severe concerns that need immediate attention, issues ranging from daily stressors constitute major problems to their mental health. There is therefore a need for both governmnet and non-government organizations to provide services that will upkeep the mental health status of these people. Notwithstanding, this study aimed to have a holistic view on the services provided by Soulidarity and Human Rights and Svenska Kyrkan organizations in Sweden. Through semi-structured interviews conducted with represntatives from these organizations based on the research questions that target the perception of their services, challenges, and recommendations. The empiricial data collected were analyzed using the theoretical framework of social support theory. The empricial result from this study shows that; asylum helped organizations provided a dimension of services ranging from individual, counseling, and leisure support services. Also, the services provided by these organizations were impactful to; build the self-confidence, abilities to perform tasks and build the self-esteem of these traumatic stress asylum seekers who came for help.  Furthermore, the workers in these organizations encountered challenges with working under complex migration and intergration policies that do not favor these asylum seekers, financial challenges, language difficulties, and internal problematic behaviors displaced from traumatic stresses asylum seekers. Finally, the workers in these organizations recommend that; changes in policies, financial improvement, and recruitment of more staff, strengthening sensitization, and empowerment of group rights are better ways of improving their services.

Social supports are linked in public health research to improved birth outcomes. This study explored the relationship of social supports, stress and birth outcomes among pregnant Latinas in Pinellas County, Florida. A sample of 411 Healthy Start women at risk of poor birth outcomes participated in this study (99 Latinas, 142 Black, and 158 White). Study methods included ANOVA, Principal Component Analysis, multivariable regression, logistic regression, and structural equation modeling to identify significant associations between social support scores, stress scores, demographics and health risk factors with infant birth weight, preterm and small for gestational age by ethnic group. Study findings indicated there was a direct association between social support and stress across all ethnic groups. However, many confounding variables did not have an effect in the study sample. Latina study participants exhibited significantly lower mean social support scores compared to White and Black participants (p=0.000). Latinas also presented higher stress scores that were significantly different from White and Black participants (p=0.000). The study also found ethnic differences in stress level perceptions using the Perceived Stress Scale. Recommendations for public health included conducting additional studies to assess if the study variables have an impact on a different population, exploring different ethnic interpretations of stress, using repeated measures to assess stress in high risk populations and considering using alternate stress measures such as biological markers and stress life event scales to assess social support, stress and birth outcomes.

Ett samband har påvisats mellan våld mot djur och våld i nära relation. Forskning betonar därför vikten av att yrkesverksamma besitter kunskap om detta samband som en del i att förebygga, identifiera och motverka våld i nära relation. Syftet med detta arbete var att undersöka socialtjänstens organisatoriska förutsättningar till att inta ett sällskapsdjursinkluderande förhållningsätt i arbetet med våld i nära relation. Med hänvisningar till bandet mellan människa och djur samt teorin om socialt stöd betonas den vinst som står att finna i ett förhållningssätt av detta slag. Som datainsamlingsmetod hölls semi-strukturerade intervjuer med sex socialarbetare verksamma inom området våld i nära relation i sex kommuner i Mellansverige. Framkommen data behandlades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys, och resultaten visar att om än vissa socialarbetare eftersträvar att inkludera djur, tenderar djur överlag stå lågt ner på socialtjänstens agenda. Genom nationella riktlinjer skulle därför ett enhetligare och mer metodiskt tillhandahållande av stöd kunna åstadkommas. / There is a link between violence against animals and domestic violence. Research emphasizes the importance of professionals possessing knowledge about the link as part of preventing, identifying and counteracting domestic violence. The purpose of this paper was to examine the social services' organizational conditions in adopting a pet-inclusive approach in the work with domestic violence. With references to the human-animal bond and the theory of social support, I emphasized the gain found in an approach of this kind. As method for data collection, semi-structured interviews were held with six social workers active in the field of domestic violence, from six municipalities in the middle parts of Sweden. Qualitative content analysis was then conducted, and the results indicate that although some social workers strive to include animals, animals generally have low priority on the social services agenda. A more consistent and effective provision of support could be achieved through national guidelines.

Women’s procreative capacities and the appreciation of birth experiences have always been recognised in civil society and the early days of psychology. Given that our culture is one that emphasises a woman’s capacity to bear children as one of the greatest social achievements, the social responsibility to procreate and ensure collective survival becomes a potent mandate, especially so for Black African women. To fulfil this social responsibility, traditional African culture dictates a very specific process of pregnancy which involves a series of watershed moments, each of which requires that social support, of whatever form, should be available. This study explored the role that social support from significant others and health professionals play in mediating psychological issues during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatally among Black African women in Madadeni Township in KwaZulu-Natal. The study was rooted in the interpretive, qualitative paradigm and a phenomenological research design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who were aged from 18 to 25 years with a baby older than two weeks but less than six months. Semi structured interviews were conducted in the mother tongue of the participants until the point of saturation where no new information arose from the six participants interviewed. Thematic content analysis was used to extract recurrent themes across participants. The results indicate that social support, especially from parents and partners, plays a defining role in helping women to cope with the stress experienced during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatally. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology: Research Consultation)

Women’s procreative capacities and the appreciation of birth experiences have always been recognised in civil society and the early days of psychology. Given that our culture is one that emphasises a woman’s capacity to bear children as one of the greatest social achievements, the social responsibility to procreate and ensure collective survival becomes a potent mandate, especially so for Black African women. To fulfil this social responsibility, traditional African culture dictates a very specific process of pregnancy which involves a series of watershed moments, each of which requires that social support, of whatever form, should be available. This study explored the role that social support from significant others and health professionals play in mediating psychological issues during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatally among Black African women in Madadeni Township in KwaZulu-Natal. The study was rooted in the interpretive, qualitative paradigm and a phenomenological research design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who were aged from 18 to 25 years with a baby older than two weeks but less than six months. Semi structured interviews were conducted in the mother tongue of the participants until the point of saturation where no new information arose from the six participants interviewed. Thematic content analysis was used to extract recurrent themes across participants. The results indicate that social support, especially from parents and partners, plays a defining role in helping women to cope with the stress experienced during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatally. / Psychology / M. A. (Psychology: Research Consultation)

A needs assessment during 2000 guided the design of a buddy system in Botswana. Implementation of this care and support system for and by 39 HIV+ve female buddy-client pairs started in 2002. During April and November 2002, levels of disclosure, self-care, support and quality of life of buddy-client pairs and the controls (n = 38) were compared. Orem's self-care theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Cohen and Syme's conceptualisation of social support formed the theoretical framework. By November 2002, clients' disclosure levels, self-care for TB, and antiretroviral therapy adherence had improved. Higher income, higher education and older age predicted higher levels of self-care for antiretroviral therapy. The social support survey reported satisfaction with types of support available in November 2002 (N = 112). Clients' scores for self-care for TB, antiretroviral therapy and social support improved more than those of controls over the study period. The personal resource questionnaire measured perceptions of support: buddies' scores increased more than those of clients. Women on antiretroviral therapy completed the adherence attitudes inventory in April and November 2002 and reported a downward trend in adherence. Findings of the quality of life (SF 36) instrument showed that during the six-month study period, physical and mental health component summary scores improved but remained low (N = 112). During 2003 Botswana's community-based buddy-support programme was adopted by four other countries in Southern Africa in an attempt to enhance the quality of life of HIV+ve women in these countries. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

A needs assessment during 2000 guided the design of a buddy system in Botswana. Implementation of this care and support system for and by 39 HIV+ve female buddy-client pairs started in 2002. During April and November 2002, levels of disclosure, self-care, support and quality of life of buddy-client pairs and the controls (n = 38) were compared. Orem's self-care theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Cohen and Syme's conceptualisation of social support formed the theoretical framework. By November 2002, clients' disclosure levels, self-care for TB, and antiretroviral therapy adherence had improved. Higher income, higher education and older age predicted higher levels of self-care for antiretroviral therapy. The social support survey reported satisfaction with types of support available in November 2002 (N = 112). Clients' scores for self-care for TB, antiretroviral therapy and social support improved more than those of controls over the study period. The personal resource questionnaire measured perceptions of support: buddies' scores increased more than those of clients. Women on antiretroviral therapy completed the adherence attitudes inventory in April and November 2002 and reported a downward trend in adherence. Findings of the quality of life (SF 36) instrument showed that during the six-month study period, physical and mental health component summary scores improved but remained low (N = 112). During 2003 Botswana's community-based buddy-support programme was adopted by four other countries in Southern Africa in an attempt to enhance the quality of life of HIV+ve women in these countries. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)