Supportive transactions: Their measurement and enhancement in two mutual-aid groups

Abstract

Mutual-aid groups provide a context in which people who share similar problems, conditions, or concerns give and receive support. Members of two different peer-led mutual-aid groups participated in this study: one for low-income women and the other for people with multiple sclerosis. This study describes use of a self-help behavioral assessment instrument to observe supportive transactions directly in actual group meetings. In a quasi-experiment, we analyzed the effects of leader training on supportive transactions between members. Results suggest that leader training was effective in increasing the percent of disclosures about personal concerns followed by support behaviors for the low-income women's group, although the effects did not hold for the multiple sclerosis group. This study contributes to understanding about actual behavior in mutual-aid groups and ways in which collaborative consultation with mutual-aid groups can enhance the provision of support.