Network Structures and Support Functions—Theoretical and Empirical Analyses

Since the early 1960s, clinical researchers have developed a strong interest in social variables, especially in their function as etiological agents. The best examples are constructs like “social integration,” “social assets,” “social resources,” “social adjustment,” “social isolation,” and “social alienation” (Laireiter & Baumann, 1988). Most of these constructs refer to having or not having social ties. Since the mid-1970s, research has concentrated on two major social variables: “social networks” and “social support.” Despite much research in these areas, many important questions remain unanswered, especially those concerning precise terminology (see Vaux, Chapter 14), theoretical foundation, and, most importantly, the relationship between them.