We define social support as “an exchange of resources between two individuals perceived by the provider or the recipient to be intended to enhance the well‐being of the recipient.” We then discuss the assumptions and implications of this definition and address several gaps in the support literature. Specifically, we consider the costs and benefits of supportive exchanges for both participants, the dual and possibly incongruent perceptions of support held by the provider and the recipient, and the importance of non‐network sources of support. In addition, we distinguish between the health‐sustaining versus health‐compensating functions of support and how these functions link with the resources provided in supportive exchanges. We next address the factors that can influence support effects and suggest a broad range of outcomes for both the provider and the recipient. Finally, we distinguish the dimensions of support from the contextual variables that can influence its quality and effectiveness.

Survey respondents may inaccurately report mental health service utilization for motivational and cognitive reasons. There is little evidence on accuracy of self-reports of mental health service use, and this evidence suggests that respondents tend to underreport inpatient utilization. This study addressed the question of self-report accuracy by comparing survey data from a large probability sample to data from computerized records of publicly funded mental health services. Few inaccuracies in self-reporting were detected. However, despite the use of data bases that were unusually appropriate for verifying self-reports, several problems limited the feasibility of validation. Suggestions are offered for increasing the feasibility of validation in future studies.

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Aspects of the indigenous healing system in contemporary South African society Anthropological research in recent years has clearly shown that health service programmes of technologically advanced societies cannot simply be transplanted to developing societies without taking specific cultural factors into account (Loudon, 1976; Kleinman, 1980; Jansen, 1982). The extensive practice of traditional healing in South Africa has long been established and appears to be gaining momentum (Holdstock, 1979). The different needs of First- and Third-world peoples within South Africa, as manifested in the existence of cultural-specific mental health care and educational systems, are indeed compelling reasons for examining the situation.