Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Social Support, Personality, and Health

  • Chapter
Individual Differences, Stress, and Health Psychology

Part of the book series: Contributions to Psychology and Medicine ((CONTRIBUTIONS))

Abstract

This review by Sarason vividly describes how certain personal and social factors can influence vulnerability to stress. The focus is upon life events and social support, and how these and other factors may interact to effect health, illness, and happiness. He points out how the original thinking that all life events (positive and negative) contribute to increased vulnerability has been supplanted by recent data indicating serious repercussions for health and adjustment for negative life events, but neutral or positive consequences for positive life events. There follows a review of the issues in the personality and life events-illness relationship that focuses on both individual differences in personality characteristics such as locus of control and sensation seeking, and on the nature of appraisal of life events. Both factors contribute to the determination of the amount of stress that will be experienced by the individual. The majority of the chapter, however, is devoted to the author’s research on social support. He sets the background by emphasizing the environmental and individual difference perspectives, both essential to an understanding of the influence of social support upon health. His review of the literature provides both answers and questions, as he probes data related to such diverse things as aging, reproduction and birth complications, immune function, job disruptions, chest pain, and asthma. His own research on the topic is rich and thorough.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Andrews, G., Tennant, C., Hewson, D., & Schoneil, M. (1978). The relation of social factors to physical and psychiatric illness. American Journal of Epidemiology, 108, 27–35.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Auerbach, S.M., & Kilmann, P.R. (1977). Crisis intervention: A review of outcome research. Psychological Bulletin, 84, 1189–1217.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bartrop, R.W., Luckhurst, E., Lazarus, L., Kiloh, L.G., & Penny, R. (1977). Depressed lymphocyte function after bereavement. Lancet, 834–836.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkman, L.F., & Syme, S.L. (1979). Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: A nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents. American Journal of Epidemiology, 109, 186–204..

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowlby, J. (1980). Loss: Sadness and depression. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bramwell, S.T., Wagner, N.N., Masuda, N.M., & Holmes, T.H. (1975). Psychosocial factors in athletic injuries. Journal of Human Stress, 1, 6–20.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Caplan, G. (1974). Support, systems and community mental health: Lectures on concept development. New York: Behavioral Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caplan, G. (1976). The family as support system. In G. Caplan & M. Killilea (Eds.), Support systems and mutual help: Multidisciplinary explorations (pp. 19–36). New York: Grune & Stratton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cassel, J. (1976). The contribution of the social environment to host resistance. American Journal of Epidemiology, 104, 107–123.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Colerick, E.J. (1985). Stamina in later life. Social Science Medicine, 21, 997–1006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooley, E.J., & Keesey, J.C. (1981). Moderator variables in life stress and illness relationship. Journal of Human Stress, 8, 35–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutrona, C.E. (1986). Objective determinants of perceived social support. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 349–355.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Araujo, G., Van Arsdel, P.O., Holmes, T.H., & Dudley, D.L. (1973). Life change, coping ability and chronic intrinsic asthma. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 17, 359–363.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Doehrman, S.R. (1977). Psycho-social aspects of recovery from coronary heart disease: A review. Social Science & Mediane, 11, 199–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Droge, D., Arntson, P., & Norton, R. (1986). The social support function in epilepsy self-help groups. Small Group Behavior, 17, 139–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckenrode, J. (1983). The mobilization of social support: Some individual constraints. American Journal of Community Psychology, 11, 509–528.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, HJ., & Eysenck, S.B. (1968). Manual: Eysenck Personality Inventory. San Diego, CA: Educational and Industrial Testing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gore, S. (1978). The effects of social support in moderating the health consequences of unemployment. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 19, 157–165.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heitzmann, C.A., & Kaplan, R.M. (1984). Interaction between sex and social support in the control of Type II diabetes mellitus. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 1087–1089.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heller, K. (1979). The effects of social support: Prevention and treatment implications. In A.P. Goldstein & F.H. Kanfer (Eds.), Maximizing treatment gains (pp. 353–382). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heller, K., & Swindle, R.W. (1983). Social networks, perceived social support and coping with stress. In R.D. Feiner, L.A. Jason, J. Moritsugu, & S.S. Farber (Eds.), Preventive psychology: Theory, research and practice in community intervention (pp. 87–103). New York: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, T.H., & Rahe, R.H. (1967). The social readjustment rating scale. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 11, 213–218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J.H. (1986). Life events as stressors in childhood and adolescence. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J.H., & McCutcheon, S.M. (1980). Assessing life stress in older children and adolescents: Preliminary findings with the Life Events Checklist. In I.G. Sarason & C.D. Spielberger (Eds.), Stress and Anxiety, Vol. 7 (pp. 111–125). Washington, DC: Hemisphere Publishing Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J.H., & Sarason, I.G. (1978). Life stress, depression and anxiety: Internal-external control as a moderator variable. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 22, 205–208.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J.H., Sarason, I.G., & Siegel, J.M. (1979). Arousal seeking as a moderator of life stress. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 49, 665–666.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.H. (1985). The psychology of loneliness: Some personality issues in the study of social support. In LG. Sarason & B.R. Sarason (Eds.), Social support: Theory, research and applications (pp. 225–241). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiecolt-Glaser, J.K., Garner, W., Speicher, C., Penn, G., Holliday, J., & Glaser, R. (1984). Psychosocial modifiers of immunocompetence in medical students. Psychosomatic Medicine, 46, 7–14.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kiecolt-Glaser, J.K., Speicher, C.E., Holiday, J.E., & Glaser, R. (1984). Stress and the transformation of lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 7, 1–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Levav, I. (1982). Mortality and psychopathology following the death of an adult child: An epidemiological review. Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Science, 19, 23–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levenson, H., Hirschfeld, M.L., Hirschfeld, A., & Dzubay, B. (1983). Recent life events and accidents: The role of sex differences. Journal of Human Stress, 9, 4–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lindner, K.C., Sarason, I.G., & Sarason, B.R. (in press). Assessed life stress and social support and experimentally provided social support. In C.D. Spielberger & LG. Sarason (Eds.), Stress and anxiety, Vol. 11. Washington, DC: Hemisphere Publishing Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mallick, M.J. (1985). A community-based support group for families and patients after acute coronary disease. Public Health Nursing, 2, 43–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manne, S., Sandler, L, & Zautra, A. (1986). Coping and adjustment to genital herpes: The effects of time and social support. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 9, 163–177.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manuck, S.B., Kaplan, J.R., & Matthews, K.A. (1986). Behavioral antecedents of coronary heart disease and arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis, 6, 2–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mcintosh, W.A., & Shifflett, P.A. (1984). Influence of social support systems on dietary intake of the elderly. Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, 4, 5–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medalie, J.H., & Goldbourt, U. (1976). Angina pectoris among 10,000 men: II. Psychosocial and other risk factors as evidenced by a multivariate analysis of a five-year incidence study. American Journal of Mediane, 60, 910–921.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monjan, A.A. (1983). Effects of acute and chronic stress upon lymphocyte blasto-genesis in mice and humans: “Ofmice and men.” In E.L. Cooper (Ed.), Stress, immunity, and cancer (pp. 81–108). New York: Marcel Dekker.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pancheri, P. (1980). Psycho-neural-endocrinological correlates of myocardial infarction. Paper presented at NIAS International Conference on Stress and Anxiety, Wassenaar, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piatt, J.J., & Spivack, G. (1975). Manual for the Means-Ends Problem-Solving Procedure. Philadelphia: Hahnemann Community Mental Health Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Procidano, M.E., & Heller, K. (1983). Measures of perceived social support from friends and from family: Three validation studies. American Journal of Community Psychology, 11(1), 1–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rook, K.S. (1984). Promoting social bonding: Strategies for helping the lonely and socially isolated. American Psychologist, 39, 1389–1407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruberman, W., Weinblatt, E., Goldberg, J.D., & Chaudhary, B.S. (1984). Psychosocial influences on mortality after myocardial infarction. The New England Journal of Medicine, 311, 552–559..

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, B.R., Sarason, I.G., Hacker, T.A., & Basham, R.B. (1985). Concomitants of social support: Social skills, physical attractiveness and gender. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 469–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, B.R., Shearin, E.N., Pierce, G.R., & Sarason, I.G. (1987). Interrelationships of social support measures: Theoretical and practical implications. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 813–832.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I.G., Johnson, J.H., & Siegel, J.M. (1978). Assessing the impact of life changes: Development of the Life Experiences Survey. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 46, 932–946.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I.G., Levine, H.M., Basham, R.B., & Sarason, B.R. (1983). Assessing social support: The Social Support Questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 127–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I.G., Sarason, B.R., Potter, E.H., & Antoni, M.H. (1985). Life events, social support and illness. Psychosomatic Medicine, 47, 156–163.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I.G., Sarason, B.R., Shearin, E.N., & Pierce, G.R. (1987). A brief measure of social support: Practical and theoretical implications. Journal of Personal and Social Relationships, 4, 497–510.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I.G., & Turk, S. (1983). Coping strategies and group interaction: Their function in improving performance of anxious individuals. Unpublished manuscript, University of Washington, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleifer, S.J., Keller, S.E., Camerino, M., Thornton, J.C., & Stein, M. (1983). Suppression of lymphocyte stimulation following bereavement. Journal of the American Medical Association, 250, 374–377.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, R., & Decker, S. (1985). Long-term adjustment to physical disability: The role of social support, perceived control, and self-blame. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 1162–1172.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.E., Johnson, J.H., & Sarason, I.G. (1978). Life change, the sensation seeking motive, and psychological distress. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46, 348–349.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sosa, R., Kennel, J., & Klaus, M. (1980). The effect of a supportive companion on perinatal problems, length of labor and mother-infant interactions. New England Journal of Medicine, 305, 597–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, P.D., Garry, P.J., Goodwin, J.M., & Goodwin, J.S. (1985). Social bonds in a healthy elderly sample: Characteristics and associated variables. Social Science Medicine, 20, 365–369.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, P.D., Goodwin, J.M.5 & Goodwin, J.S. (1985). Effect of social support on stress-related changes in cholesterol level, uric acid level, and immune function in an elderly sample. American Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 735–737.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinokur, A., & Selzer, M.L. (1975). Desirable versus undesirable life events: Their relationship to stress and mental distress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 329–337.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Warner, G.C., Bowers, P.M., Rounds, J.B., & Kauppl, R. (1986). Social support, stress, and adjustment to spinal cord injury. Paper presented at the 94th Annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasser, S.K., & Isenberg, D.Y. (in press). Reproductive failure among women: Pathology or adaptation? Journal of Psychomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R.S. (1974). The provisions of social relationships. In Z. Rubin (Ed.), Doing unto others (pp. 17–26). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitcher, S.J., & Fisher, J.D. (1979). Multidimensional reaction to therapeutic touch in a hospital setting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 87–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wortman, C.B., & Lehman, D.R. (1985). Reactions to victims of life crisis: Support attempts that fail. In I.G. Sarason & B.R. Sarason (Eds.), Social support: Theory, research and application (pp. 463–490). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Irwin G. Sarason
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winninpeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

    Michel Pierre Janisse Ph.D.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1988 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sarason, I.G. (1988). Social Support, Personality, and Health. In: Janisse, M.P. (eds) Individual Differences, Stress, and Health Psychology. Contributions to Psychology and Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3824-9_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3824-9_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8367-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-3824-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation