Assessing Support and Stress in the Social Networks of Chronic Patients

Social networks and social support in schizophrenia: correlates and assessment

“…In general, it would seem the larger the network, the greater the opportunity for alternative sources of support (Sokolove and Trimble, 1986).…”

“…For example, an individual might provide information about certain types of community services, lend money and provide opportunities for a patient to discuss issues and concerns. It has been suggested that multiplex relationships are superior to uniplex ones, since some functions of a multiplex relationship may be available at a particular time even if others are not (Morin and Seidman, 1986;Sokolove and Trimble, 1986). For example, a network member may not have any spare time on a particular day to listen to the patient describe his problems with his landlord, although he may be prepared to lend the patient money to pay for a ticket to gain admission to the movies.…”

“…The psychometric properties of both instruments are not discussed. Sokolove and Trimble (1986) developed a list of 14 questions to assess the characteristics of a patient's social network, including the number of people in the network, the types of roles assumed in each relationship, multiplexity, directionality, and the nature of behavioural exchanges in each relationship. Quantitative data supporting the psychometric properties of the instrument were not provided.…”

“…Those instruments which have been specifically designed for psychiatric patients (e.g. Sokolove and Trimble, 1986) appear suitable only for chronic schizophrenics and fail to consider the heterogeneity of schizophrenia. There also seems to be a dilemma implicit in the literature regarding research versus clinical needs (e.g.…”

Adaptation à la communauté de jeunes adultes ayant vécu une ou plusieurs hospitalisations en psychiatrie

“…La majorité des études disponibles concernant ce soutien décri-vent des ressources humaines limitées, quantitativement et qualitativement (Greenblatt et al, 1982;Mitchell et Moos, 1984;Sokolove et Trimble, 1986;Wallace, 1986). Ces études se sont intéressées davantage à la dimension structurale du réseau qu'à sa dimension fonctionnelle.…”