Measurement strategies in social support: a descriptive review of the literature.
Social support literature has been criticized for lacking methodological clarity. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic descriptive review of the social support literature, outline measurement problems, identify the nature of assessment inadequacies, and provide recommendations for the future. Two-hundred sixty-two empirically based articles published between 1980 and 1987 were reviewed comprehensively. Information about social support measurement and sample characteristics was obtained. A system was designed to organize the data on sample characteristics, type of instrument, source of support assessed, and category of support measured. The social support literature also was described from a methodological perspective, and several trends were identified. Conclusions about conceptual maturity, a priori biases, measurement of network utilization, and social support sources are discussed.
Winemiller
D R
DR
Department of Psychology, IIT Center, Chicago 60616.
Mitchell
M E
ME
Sutliff
J
J
Cline
D J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012107:Research Design / Q000639:trends; D012944:Social Support; D009626:Terminology as Topic