Summary
Evidence is given for the hypothesis of Miller and Ingham (1976) that psychological symptom levels are moderated by the presence of social supports. Psychiatric and family practice out-patients were found to differ markedly in the social network they participated in, with psychiatric patients showing themselves to be relatively impoverished. A survey method for reconstructing an economy of time spent in interpersonal relationships was used as a measure of social network.
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References
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Silberfeld, M. Psychological symptoms and social supports. Soc Psychiatry 13, 11–17 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00578057
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00578057