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A randomised controlled trial of a social support intervention

journal contribution
posted on 2011-03-01, 00:00 authored by P Martin, J Reece, S Lauder, Andrew McClelland
Background: Much evidence has accumulated over the last three decades that low social support is related to both mental and physical health. Despite this large and convincing literature, reviewers have noted that there exists remarkably little evidence that social support can be increased by an appropriate intervention. This study reports on the development and evaluation of a new intervention for social support which takes account of the stress-buffering and direct effect models.

Method: Eighty-one individuals scoring low on social support were randomly allocated to the intervention or a waiting-list control condition. Treatment consisted of 10 weekly sessions administered in a group format, and 49 participants (nine males) completed assessments at the beginning and end of a 10-week period, and at 10-week follow-up (intervention condition only).

Results: The intervention proved to be successful at increasing functional support but not structural support. The intervention was also successful in increasing the social skill of self-disclosure, and decreasing depression. Gains made between pre- and post-treatment were maintained at 10-week follow-up.

Conclusions: Based on published analyses of the effects of social support on health, the results imply that the intervention would be useful for stress-buffering purposes, but not for the general health-promoting effects that are associated with good social integration.

History

Journal

Applied psychology : health and well-being

Volume

3

Issue

1

Pagination

44 - 65

Publisher

Wiley - Blackwell Publishing

Location

Oxford, England

ISSN

1758-0846

eISSN

1758-0854

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2011, The Authors, Applied Psychology : Health and Well-Being, The International Association of Applied Psychology

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