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Social support: how does it really work?
A Spitzer1, Y Bar-Tal, H Golander
1Department of Nursing, School of Health Professions, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|November 1, 1995
Summary
Social support significantly impacts rheumatoid arthritis patient stress and adaptation. This effect is mediated by a sense of control, not by buffering stress directly, offering new insights for nursing care.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Psychology
- Nursing Science
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) significantly impacts patients' quality of life, often leading to increased stress and challenges in adaptation.
- The role of social support in mitigating stress and improving adaptation in chronic illness is well-documented, but its precise mechanism remains under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the effect of social support on stress and adaptation in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
- To investigate the mediating role of control in the relationship between social support, stress, and adaptation.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 77 rheumatoid arthritis patients (12 male, 65 female) receiving outpatient treatment in Israel participated.
- Data were collected from patients treated in three large hospital outpatient clinics.
Main Results:
- Social support demonstrated a significant effect on both stress and adaptation among rheumatoid arthritis patients.
- This effect was found to be mediated by the patients' sense of control, rather than acting as a direct buffer against stress.
- Findings challenge previous assumptions about social support functioning solely as a stress buffer.
Conclusions:
- Control is a key mediator in how social support influences stress and adaptation in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Nursing interventions should focus on enhancing patients' sense of control to leverage social support effectively.
- These findings offer novel implications for nursing science in managing chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.