Health Psychology : a Textbook

1 The main effect hypothesis suggests that social support itself is beneficial and that the

absence of social support is itself stressful. This suggests that social support mediates

the stress–illness link, with its very presence reducing the effect of the stressor and its

absence itself acting as a stressor.

2 The stress buffering hypothesis suggests that social support helps individuals to cope with

stress, therefore mediating the stress–illness link by buffering the individual from the

stressor; social support influences the individual’s appraisal of the potential stressor.

This process, which has been described using social comparison theory, suggests that the

existence of other people enables individuals exposed to a stressor to select an appropri-

ate coping strategy by comparing themselves with others. For example, if an individual

was going through a stressful life event, such as divorce, and existed in a social group

where other people had dealt with divorces, the experiences of others would help them

to choose a suitable coping strategy. The stress buffering hypothesis has also been

described using role theory. This suggests that social support enables individuals to

change their role or identity according to the demands of the stressor. Role theory

emphasizes an individual’s role and suggests that the existence of other people offers

choices as to which role or identity to adopt as a result of the stressful event.

FOCUS ON RESEARCH 11.1: TESTING A THEORY –

SOCIAL SUPPORT AND HEALTH

A study to examine the effects of a stressor (unemployment) and social support

on health among East German refugees (Schwarzer et al. 1994).

This study examined the relationship between social support and health. It is interesting

because it accessed a naturally occurring stressor.

Background

Research suggests that stress may influence health either via changes in health-related

behaviour and/or via a physiological pathway. However, the relationship between stress

and illness is not automatic, and appears to be mediated by factors such as coping style,

perceived control over the stressor and social support. This study examined the effects

of stress on health in East German refugees and evaluated which factors were related

to their health complaints. In particular, the study focused on employment status and

social support.

Methodology

Subjects In 1989, prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the authors launched the study to

examine the experiences of being a refugee/migrant in West Berlin. The authors recruited

East German migrants who were living in temporary accommodation in West Berlin. The

subjects were asked to take part in three waves of data collection: Autumn/Winter 1989,

Summer 1990, Summer 1991. A total of 235 migrants took part in all three stages of

274 HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY