Social support and health: an overview of selected theoretical models for adaptation

Abstract

Social support has been the subject of extensive study in recent years. It is a multidimensional concept. The objective of this chapter is to add to knowledge about the action mechanisms of social support already widely discussed in health psychology. This involves distinguishing the direct effects of social support, independent of a stress situation, from its indirect effects (stress buffers). This chapter will set out several explanatory models for social support which will then be explored in terms of their utility and limitations. Next, the issue of negative interactions (e.g. isolation, conflict) and their consequences on individual health will be explored. Social support, whether positive or negative, appears to be an essential resource requiring consideration and likely to potentiate individual adaptation. © 2013 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.