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Social Relationships and Social Support

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Sociology of Mental Health

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Sociology ((BRIEFSSOCY))

Abstract

Social support is a construct that has been widely studied by members of the Mental Health Section of the American Sociological Association. The term social support, in contrast to social relationships, is used to refer to the salutatory content of human relationships. This chapter considers social support, as variously conceptualized, and summarizes the evidence of its relevance for health in general and mental health in particular. The generality of these linkages across multiple disease/disorder outcomes and the influence of social connectedness on established and changing risk factors arguably justify the designation of social support as tantamount to a “fundamental cause”. Social support clearly matters for mental health both directly and as a mediator and/or moderator of the stress-mental health relationship. However, there are a number of contingencies in these relationships. Social support varies reliably with location in the social system suggesting that its origin lies in social experience. However, this view is challenged by evidence suggesting that variations in reported social support may partially, if not largely, reflect personality differences. It is also clear that social relationships are not always or in all respects positive in effects. Collectively, however, evidence confirms that social support is a crucial contingency for health and well-being.

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  1. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA

    R. Jay Turner & William Beardall Hale

  2. Columbia University, New York, USA

    J. Blake Turner

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  1. Department of Sociology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA

    Robert J. Johnson

  2. Department of Sociology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

    R. Jay Turner

  3. Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

    Bruce G. Link

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Turner, R.J., Turner, J.B., Hale, W.B. (2014). Social Relationships and Social Support. In: Johnson, R., Turner, R., Link, B. (eds) Sociology of Mental Health. SpringerBriefs in Sociology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07797-0_1

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