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A preventive, psychoeducational approach to increase perceived social support

  • Published:
American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

Investigated the effects of a 13-week preventive, psychoeducational intervention program to improve perceived social support. Fifty-one, low-perceived support, community residents were randomly assigned to an intervention or wait-list control condition. Intervention subjects received training in social skills and cognitive reframing regarding the self and social relations. The intervention led to increased perceived social support from family, but not from friends. As hypothesized by social cognition models, increases in perceived support appeared to be mediated by changes in self-esteem and frequency of self-reinforcement. Further, such changes in cognition about the self were larger than the changes observed for perceived support, suggesting that it may be easier to change cognition about the self than perceptions of support.

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  1. Elena F. Brand

    Present address: Wyandotte Hospital and Medical Center, Wyandotte, Michigan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wayne State University, 71 W. Warren Avenue, 48202, Detroit, Michigan

    Elena F. Brand, Brian Lakey & Shirley Berman

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Brand, E.F., Lakey, B. & Berman, S. A preventive, psychoeducational approach to increase perceived social support. Am J Commun Psychol 23, 117–135 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02506925

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