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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test

Published on: November 19, 2015

Social Support in Widowhood: A Mixed Methods Study.

Stacey B Scott¹, C S Bergeman, Alissa Verney

¹University of Notre Dame, IN.

Journal of Mixed Methods Research

|June 21, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Social support significantly impacts widowhood transition. Supportive groups and perceived social control are key mechanisms influencing adjustment after loss, aiding in understanding grief and recovery.

Keywords:

bereavement longitudinal mixed methods social support

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Last Updated: May 10, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test

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Published on: November 19, 2015

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Published on: January 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Psychology
Sociology
Bereavement Studies

Background:

Social support is crucial after loss, but its precise influence on outcomes remains unclear.
Understanding the mechanisms of social support is vital for effective bereavement interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the nature and mechanisms of social support following loss.
To describe social support dynamics during the transition to widowhood.

Main Methods:

Mixed-methods approach combining semistructured interviews and daily questionnaires.
Qualitative analysis using the constant comparative method for interview data.
Quantitative analysis using hierarchical linear modeling to examine social support trajectories.

Main Results:

Key themes identified include the importance of supportive groups and the subjective meaning of support.
Perceived social control was found to explain individual differences in social support trajectories.
Integration of qualitative and quantitative findings provided a nuanced description of support.

Conclusions:

Social support plays a complex role in widowhood, influenced by group dynamics and individual perceptions of control.
The findings offer a deeper understanding of how social support facilitates adaptation to loss.
This research contributes to bereavement theory and practice by elucidating support mechanisms.