Limitations of Social Support in the Stress Process

Abstract

Abstract Numerous studies have now found that social support acts to mitigate some of the undesirable consequences of the stress process. Thus, whereas life events and daily hassles have been shown to result in increases in strain as measured in terms of physical and emotional health (Dohrenwend & Dohrenwend, 1974; 1981; Holmes & Masuda, 1974; Meyers, Lindenthal & Pepper, 1971; Rabkin & Streuning, 1976; Stewart & Salt, 1981) social support may act as a buffer, limiting the negative effects of stressors on strain (Caplan, 1974; Cobb, 1976; Dean & Lin, 1977; Gottlieb, 1978; Hirsch, 1980; Johnson and Sarason, 1979; Wilcox, 1981a). Other studies have suggested a direct effect, rather than a buffering effect, in which social support is seen as positively related to health, but in which it does not mediate the stress-strain link (Andrews, Tennant, Hewson & Valiant, 1978; LaRocco, House & French, 1980; Williams, Ware & Donald, 1981).