Social Support

Social support has been one of the most widely examined constructs in social science research since the 1970s, although the concept originated over a century ago. Social support is defined as those social interactions or relationships that provide individuals with actual assistance or that embed individuals within a social system believed to provide love, caring, or a sense of attachment to a valued social groups or dyad. Social support can provide a conduit to resources beyond those otherwise available to the individual. Studies have illustrated how people's relationships with others affect both psychological and physical health. The vast majority of social support research focuses on the positive aspects of the phenomenon, but the sometimes harmful effects of social support have been examined also. The positive attributes of social support include better mental and physical health outcomes both in times of stress and when stress is not occurring.

Social support aids individuals in many different kinds of stress situations and across cultures. Social support is beneficial to those exposed to organizational Stressors, those exposed to high levels of hassles, and those exposed to more major Stressors. Even following exposure to traumatic stress, social support has been found to be beneficial both at the time of the trauma and years later. Social support has a positive effect in virtually every culture in which it has been examined, including both individualistic and more collectivist cultures. Women tend to be more likely to be the purveyors of social support, but both men and women derive benefit from social support. The positive influence of social support is found in children, adolescents, adults, and older individuals.

Social support operates by providing a sense of belonging and attachment and by offering the provision of other resources that aid and support individuals. It is important that this support be congruent with the characteristics of the individual and situation. Social support does not exist in isolation, but typically is found in individuals with high self-esteem, self-efficacy, and optimism. Social undermining may occur, even in otherwise positive social relationships, and its negative impact can overshadow the positive influence of social support. Social support processes occur on individual, familial, and community levels and these processes determine the effect of social support.