ABSTRACT
The concepts of social support and stress have been closely tied in both theoretical and empirical work on the influence of support on health and well-being (Cassell, 1976; Cobb, 1976; Cohen & Syme, 1985; House, 1981). Social supports are thought to contribute to the generation of stressful events, the avoidance of stressful events, the appraisal of events, and the ability to cope with events and their consequences. Conversely, stressful events and coping responses are thought to influence the stability of social networks as well as the availability and maintenance of social supports. This chapter provides an overview of the interrelations between stress and social support with implications for health outcomes.
