Definition
Social support refers to the resources that an individual receives or perceives to be available from his/her social networks, which may include both formal support groups and informal helping relationships.
Description
Historically, the term social support has been used broadly to describe any process by which social relationships can influence health and well-being. Lay descriptions of social support have encompassed both the availability of social resources and structural characteristics of one’s social network. However, contemporary researchers use the term social support strictly to refer to the provision or exchange of resources in the face of challenging and/or adverse events.
Several subcategories can be used to describe the various forms of social support.
Emotional support (also known as confidant support, appraisal, or esteem support) refers to the availability of individuals to talk about one’s problems. Such support can allow for the discussion of feelings,...
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Sneed, R.S., Cohen, S. (2014). Main and Buffering Effect of Social Support. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_239
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