Social support: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 10:58, 15 February 2025

Social Support[edit]

Social support refers to the various types of assistance and comfort that individuals receive from their social networks. This support can be emotional, informational, or practical, and it plays a crucial role in maintaining mental and physical health.

Types of Social Support[edit]

Social support can be categorized into several types:

Emotional Support: This involves expressions of empathy, love, trust, and caring. It is often provided by close family members and friends.

Informational Support: This includes advice, suggestions, and information that can help someone solve problems or make decisions.

Instrumental Support: This type of support involves tangible aid and services, such as financial assistance or help with daily tasks.

Appraisal Support: This involves providing feedback and affirmation, which can help individuals evaluate their situation and make decisions.

Importance of Social Support[edit]

Social support is essential for:

Mental Health: It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression by providing a sense of belonging and security.

Physical Health: Studies have shown that individuals with strong social support networks have better health outcomes, including lower mortality rates and faster recovery from illness.

Coping with Stress: Social support can help individuals cope with stressful situations by providing emotional comfort and practical assistance.

Social Support in Nursing Homes[edit]

In nursing homes, social support is a critical component of care. Residents often rely on staff, family, and fellow residents for emotional and practical support. Activities and programs are designed to foster social interaction and build a sense of community among residents.

Nursing homes provide structured environments where social support can be systematically integrated into daily routines, helping to improve the quality of life for residents.

Related Pages[edit]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Social support''' is the perception and actuality that one is cared for, has assistance available from other people, and most popularly, that one is part of a supportive social network. These supportive resources can be emotional (e.g., nurturance), tangible (e.g., financial assistance), informational (e.g., advice), or companionship (e.g., sense of belonging) and are the function of supportive social relationships.
+== Social Support ==
-==Types of Social Support==
+[[File:Nursing_home.JPG|thumb|right|A nursing home, where social support is often provided to residents.]]
-Social support can be categorized and measured in several different ways. There are four common functions of social support: [[emotional support]] (sometimes called affective support), [[tangible support]], [[informational support]], and [[companionship support]].
-==Effects of Social Support==
+'''Social support''' refers to the various types of assistance and comfort that individuals receive from their social networks. This support can be emotional, informational, or practical, and it plays a crucial role in maintaining mental and physical health.
-The presence of social support significantly predicts the individual's ability to cope with stress. Knowing that one is loved, cared for, and valued raises an individual's sense of self-worth and self-esteem. This contributes to a physically healthier constitution, a stronger immune system, and can even increase lifespan.
-==Social Support and Health==
+=== Types of Social Support ===
-Social support has been found to promote psychological adjustment in conditions with chronic high stress like HIV, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, stroke, and coronary artery disease. It also enhances other protective factors such as self-esteem and self-efficacy.
-==Social Support and Mental Health==
+Social support can be categorized into several types:
-Social support has a strong protective effect on mental health. It can reduce the risk of mental health disorders, help people recover from mental illness, and help prevent relapse.
-==Social Support in Different Cultures==
+* '''Emotional Support''': This involves expressions of empathy, love, trust, and caring. It is often provided by close family members and friends.
-The importance and role of social support in different cultures can vary widely. For example, cultures that are more individualistic may place more importance on self-reliance, while collectivist cultures may emphasize the importance of a community or family network.
+* '''Informational Support''': This includes advice, suggestions, and information that can help someone solve problems or make decisions.
+* '''Instrumental Support''': This type of support involves tangible aid and services, such as financial assistance or help with daily tasks.
+* '''Appraisal Support''': This involves providing feedback and affirmation, which can help individuals evaluate their situation and make decisions.
+=== Importance of Social Support ===
+Social support is essential for:
+* '''Mental Health''': It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression by providing a sense of belonging and security.
+* '''Physical Health''': Studies have shown that individuals with strong social support networks have better health outcomes, including lower mortality rates and faster recovery from illness.
+* '''Coping with Stress''': Social support can help individuals cope with stressful situations by providing emotional comfort and practical assistance.
+=== Social Support in Nursing Homes ===
+[[File:Nursing_home.JPG|thumb|left|Residents in a nursing home engaging in social activities.]]
+In [[nursing homes]], social support is a critical component of care. Residents often rely on staff, family, and fellow residents for emotional and practical support. Activities and programs are designed to foster social interaction and build a sense of community among residents.
+Nursing homes provide structured environments where social support can be systematically integrated into daily routines, helping to improve the quality of life for residents.
+== Related Pages ==
-==See Also==
-* [[Emotional support]]
-* [[Tangible support]]
-* [[Informational support]]
-* [[Companionship support]]
 * [[Mental health]]
-* [[Chronic stress]]
+* [[Nursing home]]
+* [[Community health]]
-[[Category:Psychology]]
+* [[Elder care]]
-[[Category:Sociology]]
-[[Category:Health]]
-[[Category:Mental health]]
-{{stub}}
+[[Category:Social support]]
+[[Category:Health care]]