Year: 1984 Source: Journal of Social Issues, v.40, no.4, (1984), p.1-9 SIEC No: 19860735

Traces the history of the study of social support, beginning with Durkheim’s study of the link between lack of social support & tendency toward suicide. Today, social scientists argue that social support has direct, indirect, & interactive effects on physical & mental health. It is noted that based on the assumed benefits of social support, a number of interventions have been recently inplemented. Problems with the study of social support include an inadequate definition of the concept.50 ref