Abstract
This study examined the effect of positive (instrumental and affective) and negative facets of family and friendship support both received and provided on adaptation to chronic physical impairment. Data on 570 elders with age-related vision loss were examined with 2 separate sets of hierarchical, multiple regression analyses, 1 for support received and 1 for support provided. In the first step, sociodemographic, health, and vision variables were entered; the second step contained family and friend network variables; and the third step contained 6 social support variables (affective, instrumental, and negative support for family and friends separately). Outcome variables included depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and adaptation to vision loss. Results demonstrated that after accounting for the variables in Step 1 and Step 2, the support variables in each of the 2 sets of analyses explained similar portions of unique variability in each of the outcome variables. However, fewer of the variables assessing support provided accounted for unique variance compared to the variables assessing support receipt. Visually impaired elders who received more affective support from friends had less depressive symptoms, greater life satisfaction, and better adaptation to vision loss. Also, receipt of instrumental family support was associated with greater life satisfaction, and receipt of affective family support was associated with more positive adaptation to vision loss. Visually impaired elders who provided greater affective support to their family members had higher life satisfaction. Both the receipt and the provision of negative exchanges with family members were associated with greater depressive symptoms, the 1 negative outcome variable. Overall, study findings support assessing the impact of multiple support components received from and provided to both friends and family members on adaptation outcome variables.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
