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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Posttraumatic distress in security guards and the various effects of social support
Frédéric Declercq1, Stijn Vanheule, Samuel Markey
1Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Ghent University, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, H Dunantlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium. Frederic.Declercq@UGent.be
Abstract:
This study investigates the effects of six types of social support on distress and posttraumatic stress disorders in security guards who did and did not encounter a critical incident. Three types of social support were significantly related to distress and posttraumatic stress disorder: emotional support in problem situations, instrumental support, and social companionship. Emotional support in problem situations paradoxically appeared to have an aggravating effect on distress and posttraumatic stress, whereas instrumental support and social companionship had a mitigating outcome.
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