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The relationship of two dimensions of social support to the psychological well-being and social functioning of women with advanced breast cancer

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  • Bloom, Joan R.
  • Spiegel, David

Abstract

Of interest to the field is the mechanism through which social support acts as a resistance resource for individuals undergoing stressful life circumstances. Women with advanced breast cancer (N = 86) were interviewed to determine how their outlook on life and social functioning were affected by the social support they received. Emotional support provided by the family was predicted to affect the woman's sense of well-being whereas the opportunities for social exchange provided by one's social activities were expected to effect the woman's social functioning. Consistent with the predictions, the data indicate that social support is multidimensional. Emotional support was strongly related to one's outlook. However, one's opportunities for social exchange affect not only one's social functioning, but also one's outlook on life, suggesting an interactive process whereby family support improves outlook, both outlook and opportunities for social exchange are related to one's sense of social functioning. These data explain the erosion of social support during life-threatening illness such as cancer as a result of the limitations imposed by the illness on one's opportunities for social exchange.

Suggested Citation

  • Bloom, Joan R. & Spiegel, David, 1984. "The relationship of two dimensions of social support to the psychological well-being and social functioning of women with advanced breast cancer," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 19(8), pages 831-837, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:19:y:1984:i:8:p:831-837
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    Cited by:

    1. Grant J McGeechan & Kerri E McPherson & Karen Roberts, 2018. "An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of living with colorectal cancer as a chronic illness," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(15-16), pages 3148-3156, August.
    2. Ritesh Banerjee & Ethan Cohen-Cole & Giulio Zanella, 2007. "Demonstration effects in preventive care," Supervisory Research and Analysis Working Papers QAU07-7, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    3. Ami Rokach, 2007. "Coping with loneliness among the terminally ill," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 82(3), pages 487-503, July.
    4. Birditt, Kira & Antonucci, Toni C., 2008. "Life sustaining irritations? Relationship quality and mortality in the context of chronic illness," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1291-1299, October.

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