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Updated: Jul 4, 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
The relationship between sources and functions of social support and dimensions of child- and parent-related stress
M J Guralnick1, M A Hammond, B Neville
1Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7920, USA. mjgural@u.washington.edu
Background:
In this longitudinal study, we examined the relationship between the sources and functions of social support and dimensions of child- and parent-related stress for mothers of young children with mild developmental delays.
Methods:
Sixty-three mothers completed assessments of stress and support at two time points.
Results:
Multiple regression analyses revealed that parenting support during the early childhood period (i.e. advice on problems specific to their child and assistance with child care responsibilities), irrespective of source, consistently predicted most dimensions of parent stress assessed during the early elementary years and contributed unique variance. General support (i.e. primarily emotional support and validation) from various sources had other, less widespread effects on parental stress.
Conclusions:
The multidimensional perspective of the construct of social support that emerged suggested mechanisms mediating the relationship between support and stress and provided a framework for intervention.
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