Providing Social Support May Be More Beneficial Than Receiving It

TLDR

This study examines the relative contributions of giving versus receiving support to longevity in older married adults. Baseline indicators of giving and receiving support were used to predict mortality status over a 5‑year period in the Changing Lives of Older Couples sample. Mortality was significantly reduced for individuals who provided instrumental support to friends, relatives, and neighbors, and for those who provided emotional support to their spouse, whereas receiving support had no effect once giving was considered, after controlling for demographic, personality, health, mental health, and marital‑relationship variables.

Abstract

This study examines the relative contributions of giving versus receiving support to longevity in a sample of older married adults. Baseline indicators of giving and receiving support were used to predict mortality status over a 5-year period in the Changing Lives of Older Couples sample. Results from logistic regression analyses indicated that mortality was significantly reduced for individuals who reported providing instrumental support to friends, relatives, and neighbors, and individuals who reported providing emotional support to their spouse. Receiving support had no effect on mortality once giving support was taken into consideration. This pattern of findings was obtained after controlling for demographic, personality, health, mental health, and marital-relationship variables. These results have implications for understanding how social contact influences health and longevity.