Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health - PubMed

Review

Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health

Peggy A Thoits. J Health Soc Behav. 2011 Jun.

Abstract

Over the past 30 years investigators have called repeatedly for research on the mechanisms through which social relationships and social support improve physical and psychological well-being, both directly and as stress buffers. I describe seven possible mechanisms: social influence/social comparison, social control, role-based purpose and meaning (mattering), self-esteem, sense of control, belonging and companionship, and perceived support availability. Stress-buffering processes also involve these mechanisms. I argue that there are two broad types of support, emotional sustenance and active coping assistance, and two broad categories of supporters, significant others and experientially similar others, who specialize in supplying different types of support to distressed individuals. Emotionally sustaining behaviors and instrumental aid from significant others and empathy, active coping assistance, and role modeling from similar others should be most efficacious in alleviating the physical and emotional impacts of stressors.

Similar articles

• Stress, coping, and social support processes: where are we? What next?

  Thoits PA. Thoits PA. J Health Soc Behav. 1995;Spec No:53-79. J Health Soc Behav. 1995. PMID: 7560850 Review.

• Developing a social support network system to enhance mental and physical health.

  Christen AG. Christen AG. Dent Clin North Am. 1986 Oct;30(4 Suppl):S79-92. Dent Clin North Am. 1986. PMID: 3465643

• Family pediatrics: report of the Task Force on the Family.

  Schor EL; American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on the Family. Schor EL, et al. Pediatrics. 2003 Jun;111(6 Pt 2):1541-71. Pediatrics. 2003. PMID: 12777595

• Exploring the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence, coping, social support and mental health in nursing students.

  Montes-Berges B, Augusto JM. Montes-Berges B, et al. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2007 Apr;14(2):163-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2850.2007.01059.x. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2007. PMID: 17352779

• Does vicarious traumatisation affect oncology nurses? A literature review.

  Sinclair HA, Hamill C. Sinclair HA, et al. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2007 Sep;11(4):348-56. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2007.02.007. Epub 2007 May 7. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2007. PMID: 17482879 Review.

Cited by

• Direct and Indirect Effects of Caregiver Social Support on Adolescent Psychological Outcomes in Two South African AIDS-Affected Communities.

  Casale M, Cluver L, Crankshaw T, Kuo C, Lachman JM, Wild LG. Casale M, et al. Am J Community Psychol. 2015 Jun;55(3-4):336-46. doi: 10.1007/s10464-015-9705-3. Am J Community Psychol. 2015. PMID: 25623784 Free PMC article.

• Social Strain is associated with Functional Decline in Older Adults after Surgery.

  Tang VL, Cenzer I, Keny C, John Boscardin W, Covinsky K, Finlayson E, Kotwal A. Tang VL, et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Feb;39(2):351-353. doi: 10.1007/s11606-023-08484-x. Epub 2023 Nov 9. J Gen Intern Med. 2024. PMID: 37946019 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

• Influences on diet quality in older age: the importance of social factors.

  Bloom I, Edwards M, Jameson KA, Syddall HE, Dennison E, Gale CR, Baird J, Cooper C, Aihie Sayer A, Robinson S. Bloom I, et al. Age Ageing. 2017 Mar 1;46(2):277-283. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afw180. Age Ageing. 2017. PMID: 27744301 Free PMC article.

• Randomised controlled trial of a psychotherapeutic intervention to improve quality of life and other outcomes in people who repeatedly self-harm: FReSH START study protocol.

  Farley K, Copsey B, Wright-Hughes A, Farrin A, Bojke C, McMillan D, Graham CD, Mattock R, Brennan CA, Gates C, Martin A, Dowse A, Horrocks J, House AO, Guthrie EA. Farley K, et al. Trials. 2024 Aug 26;25(1):564. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08369-2. Trials. 2024. PMID: 39187855 Free PMC article.

• Income inequalities, social support and depressive symptoms among older adults in Europe: a multilevel cross-sectional study.

  Sánchez-Moreno E, Gallardo-Peralta LP. Sánchez-Moreno E, et al. Eur J Ageing. 2021 Dec 17;19(3):663-675. doi: 10.1007/s10433-021-00670-2. eCollection 2022 Sep. Eur J Ageing. 2021. PMID: 36052202 Free PMC article.

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Atypon

• Other Literature Sources

  • The Lens - Patent Citations Database

• Medical

  • MedlinePlus Health Information

• Miscellaneous

  • NCI CPTAC Assay Portal