Choosing optimal support groups: a review and reformulation

There is considerable empirical research on the division of supportive and caregiving services among different network members. Yet the principles that govern the configuration of social support networks are still not well understood. Cantor's (1979) and Shanas' (1979) hierarchical-compensatory model and Litwak's (1985) task-specific model are among the more prominent formulations for explaining the choice of support groups. We propose that the former model is a special case of the latter one. The major conceptual features of both models are summarized here, followed by a qualitative review of 16 key empirical studies coupled with a meta-analysis to demonstrate the broader application of the task-specific model.