Social Support: An Introduction to a Complex Phenomenon

Brownell, Arlene; Shumaker, Sally A.

doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1984.tb01104.x

Cited by 111 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…With its importance, scholars have long debated the measurement of social relationships and social support (e.g., Barrera, 1986; House, 1981; Sarason, Sarason, & Pierce, 1990). Rather than common definition and measurement, the concept often considers individual, family, or community resources and their influence on the functioning and well-being of individuals and societies (Brownell & Shumaker, 1984). Social support’s ever-broadening concepts in the literature, such as social networks, social bonds, social capital, tangible support, informal support, or private safety nets, all share the idea of connection to others, yet also illustrate Barrera’s (2000) call for studies to clarify measured concepts.…”

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confidence: 99%

Informal Support among Low-Income Mothers Post Welfare Reform:A Systematic Review

Radey

2018

J Child Fam Stud

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The vulnerability and instability of low-income mothers situated in a context with a weak public safety net make informal social support one of few options many low-income mothers have to meet basic needs. This systematic review examines (a) social support as an empirical construct, (b) the restricted availability of one important aspect of social support—informal perceived support, hereafter informal support—among low-income mothers, (c) the role of informal support in maternal, economic, parenting, and child outcomes, (d) the aspects of informal support that influence its effects, and (e) directions for future research. Traditional systematic review methods resulted in an appraisal of 65 articles published between January 1996 and May 2017. Findings indicated that informal support is least available among mothers most in need. Informal support provides some protection from psychological distress, economic hardship, poor parenting practices, and poor child outcomes. To promote informal support and its benefits among low-income families, future research can advance knowledge by defining the quintessential characteristics of informal support, identifying instruments to capture these characteristics, and providing the circumstances in which support can be most beneficial to maternal and child well-being. Consistent measurement and increased understanding of informal support and its nuances can inform intervention design and delivery to strengthen vulnerable mothers’ informal support perceptions thereby improving individual and family outcomes.

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confidence: 99%

Informal Support among Low-Income Mothers Post Welfare Reform:A Systematic Review

Radey

2018

J Child Fam Stud

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“…Social support is proposed to affect the etiology of some diseases by influencing lifestyle and self-esteem, or it may affect a person's self-appraisal of a problem and ability to solve it. Social support, moreover, can mitigate the negative effects of some life situations by expanding coping ability and options (Brownell & Shumaker, 1984). Social support in this study encompasses emotional and informational support, tangible support, affectionate support, and positive social interaction, as delineated by the widely used Medical Outcomes Social Support Survey (MOS; Sherbourne & Stewart, 1991).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships Between Sensory Modulation and Social Supports and Health-Related Quality of Life

Kinnealey

Koenig

Smith

2011

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy

113

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OBJECTIVE. We explored the relationships between sensory modulation and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), social supports, and mental health symptoms of anxiety and depression. METHOD. Twenty-eight adult volunteers ages 18–60 participated in the study. Fourteen adults were sensory overresponsive (SOR), and 14 adults in a matched comparative group were not sensory overresponsive (NSOR). All participants were tested using self-administered measures of sensory processing. RESULTS. Significant differences were found between SOR and NSOR groups on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and 4 of 8 indicators of HRQOL. CONCLUSION. Several analyses exploring the relationships among the variables tested suggest that sensory response style, whether comparing SOR and NSOR groups or exploring the correlation of the response quadrants of the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, appears significantly and differentially related to symptoms of affective mental health and quality-of-life indicators, including social participation.

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“…(Interview 5) Literature on the health-enhancing potential of social support abounds (e.g. Brownell & Shumaker, 1984). Social support has previously been found to assist parents in poor communities to more effectively parent their children (e.g.…”

Section: Social Supportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitating health-enabling social contexts for youth: qualitative evaluation of a family-based HIV-prevention pilot programme

Paruk¹,

Petersen²,

Bhana³

2009

African Journal of AIDS Research

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This paper reports on a post-intervention qualitative evaluation of the pilot intervention of the AmaQhawe Family Project, in South Africa, which is a cartoon-based, manualised intervention delivered to multiple family groups over 10 sessions, aimed at preventing HIV in adolescents through strengthening the adult protective shield. Semi-structured interviews with nine women who had participated in the pilot intervention were used to understand participants' perceptions of how the family-based HIV-prevention programme had assisted in addressing the issues identified in a pre-intervention exploratory study. Analysis of the data was informed by community health psychology and social capital theory. The findings indicate that at an individual level, the women interviewed had experienced an improved sense of empowerment, both as parents and as women. They also reported increased social support for effective parenting. At a collective level, the women reported that the programme had helped them to exert better informal social controls within the community, as well as to increase their social leverage and participation in community organisations. The findings suggest that HIV interventions involving families can strengthen the adult protective shield to facilitate health-enabling social contexts for youth.

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Social Support: An Introduction to a Complex Phenomenon

Cited by 111 publications

References 24 publications

Informal Support among Low-Income Mothers Post Welfare Reform:A Systematic Review

Informal Support among Low-Income Mothers Post Welfare Reform:A Systematic Review

Relationships Between Sensory Modulation and Social Supports and Health-Related Quality of Life

Facilitating health-enabling social contexts for youth: qualitative evaluation of a family-based HIV-prevention pilot programme

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