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
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/186999 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | Simonich, Heather K. |
| Contributors | Nicholas, Donald R. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | 38 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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