In this paper the authors report on a study that focused on the interactive effects of social support and appraisal of problem solving on the stress-depression relationship. The findings suggest a health-sustaining role (direct effects) for social support for both self-appraised effective and ineffective problem solvers. A stress-reducing function (buffering effect) for social support, however, seems to apply only to self-appraised effective problem solvers. In addition, an analysis of the interaction between stress and social support for self-appraised effective problem solvers seems to indicate that the expected moderating function of support operates only in the case of satisfaction with supports. In the case of number of supports, increased network size is related to an increase rather than a decrease in depression.
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