Social Support

The link among health, well-being and social support is well-known. Social support represents an important protective factor against stress both directly (see the main effect hypothesis) and as a mediator. Nevertheless, it fosters health but at the same time may create a burden for those who work as caregivers and perceive the strain of their professional responsibility. This book discusses gender differences, the psychological importance and impacts on well-being of social support. Chapter One presents some theoretical consideration about health and social support from a gender perspective. Chapter Two clarifies the impacts of caring and their gender differentials. Chapter Three outlines empirical research on the determinants of gender-specific effects in tonic or stress-related physiological responses, along with potential mechanisms responsible for gender-specific effects. Chapter Four investigates the relationship between social support and both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being controlling for the effects of fluid intelligence and personality traits Italian high school students. Chapter Five creates a better understanding of universal (etic) and unique (emic) social support patterns of aging adults around the world. Chapter Six investigates the mediating role of social support in the relationships between the religious meaning system and psychological well-being. Chapter Seven discusses the importance of taking the central role of social support in the etiology and prognosis of a cardiac disease into account in cardiac rehabilitation and preventive programs.