What a lifespan approach might tell us about why distinct measures of social support have differential links to physical health

Abstract

Social support has been reliably related to physical health outcomes. However, an examination of mediators of such links has been slowed by the lack of understanding regarding two complex and related questions: what is social support and what phase of the disease process does it impact? In this paper, I argue for the importance of a lifespan perspective that takes into account distinct antecedent processes and mechanisms that are related to measures of support over time. This view makes clear the need to distinguish measures of perceived and received support and its links to more specific aspects of disease (e.g., acute, chronic, disease incidence). The implications of these theoretical arguments for research on social support and physical health are discussed.