Social support and psychosocial adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis quantitative and qualitative findings

Abstract

One hundred twenty‐nine individuals with rheumatoid arthritis were interviewed, and their satisfaction with several aspects of social support was rated. Quantitative analyses showed that patients' overall support satisfaction was related to health care providers' ratings of their psychosocial adjustment, independent of patients' demographic characteristics, illness duration, disease activity, and functional disability. Furthermore, the relation between support satisfaction and psychosocial adjustment increased as a function of patients' level of disability, suggesting a stress‐buffering function of support. Among the important qualitative findings emerging from content analyses of interview material was that disruptions in relationships with actual and potential support providers constituted a source of stress. However, several participants stated that the illness had actually strengthened valued relationships. Patients' views of helpful and unhelpful support gestures are also classified and discussed. Directions for future research on the support process are suggested.

The Associations Among Social Support, Stress, and Life Satisfaction as Perceived by Injured College Athletes

“…The present findings support the buffering model. Findings in other studies have been similar (Affleck, Pfeiffer, Tennen, & Fifield, 1988;Warren et al, 1996;Wasley & Lox, 1998). These findings draw attention to the importance of the type of injury in mood state and in life satisfaction.…”

The social environment and health in rheumatoid arthritis: Marital quality predicts individual variability in pain severity

“…In research with RA patients, Smith and Wallston (42), using a comprehensive set of +year longitudinal data on health, social support, and coping, found that a lack of emotional support was an antecedent of poorer psychosocial adjustment. These findings corroborated previous research on social support and depressive symptoms in RA (44)(45)(46). In a similar vein, Fitzpatrick and colleagues (13) reportecl a hierarchical regression in which social isolation, after controlling for sociodemographics and disease severity, contributed 4% to the explanation of differences in depressed mood and was also predictive of individual differences in the self-esteem of RA patients.…”

Psychosocial aspects of rheumatic diseases: Introduction

“…family and friends can also play a significant role in the adaptation to the disease. Significant relationships have been found between social support and health status in arthritis patients (Affleck et al, 1988;Weinberger et al, 1990;Goodenow et al, 1990).…”