The Impact of Support Received and Support Provision on Changes in Perceived Social Support among Older Adults

Abstract

The current study uses longitudinal data from the 1993 U.S. Midwest floods to examine the influence of support received and support provision on changes in perceived social support among older adults exposed to an acute stressor. Results indicated that flood exposure and higher levels of social support at Time 1 were positively associated with both receiving social support and providing social support specific to the food. Individuals with higher levels of support provision and received support in turn reported higher levels of perceived support post disaster. Women were more likely to have received flood specific support and to have perceived higher social support post flood. This study provides support and elaboration of earlier findings that link disaster exposure to post-disaster changes in perceived social support.