This research examines the factor structure of social support measures using the responses of a sample of 210 elderly. Four measures selected to operationalize socioemotional and instrumental support were administered as part of a structured interview including demographic, health status, and life satisfaction measures. A principal axes factor analysis followed by oblique rotation generated a four factor solution. The derived factors were interpreted as (1) support intensity, (2) social contacts, (3) social resource availability, and (4) telephone contacts.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Berkman, L.1984"Assessing the physical health effects of social networks and social support," in L. Breslow, J. E. Fielding, and L. B. Lave (eds.) Annual Review of Public Health, Vol. 5. Palto Alto, CA: Annual Reviews.
2.
Berkman, L.
and S. Syme1979"Social networks, host resistance and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents."Amer. J. of Epidemiology109: 186-204.
3.
Blazer, D.1982"Social support and mortality in an elderly community population."Amer. J. of Epidemiology115: 684-694.
4.
Breytspraak, L.
and L. George1979"Measurement of self-concept and self-esteem in older people: state of the art."Experimental Aging Research5: 137-148.
5.
Broadhead, W. 1980 "Social support, life change and illness in elderly Durham County residents." Unpublished master's thesis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
6.
Broadhead, W.
, B. Kaplan, S. James, E. Wagner, V. Schoenbach, R. Grimson, S. Heyden, G. Tibblin, and S. Gehlbach1983"The epidemiologic evidence for a relationship between social support and health."Amer. J. Epidemiology117: 521-537.
7.
Cattell, R.1978The Scientific Use of Factor Analysis in Behavioral and Life Sciences. New York: Plenum Press.
8.
Cohen, J.
and J. Brody1981"The epidemiologic importance of psychosocial factors in longevity."Amer. J. of Epidemiology114: 451-461.
9.
Conner, K.
, E. Powers, and G. Bultena1979"Social interaction and life satisfaction: an empirical assessment of late-life patterns."J. of Gerontology34: 116-121.
10.
Donald, C.
and J. Ware1982The Quantification of Social Contacts and Resources. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation.
11.
1984"The measurement of social support."Research in Community and Mental Health4: 325-370.
12.
Duke OARS1978"Multidimensional Functional Assessment: the OARS methodology."Durham, NC: Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University.
13.
Gore, S.1978"The effect of social support in moderating the health consequences of unemployment."J. of Health and Social Behavior19: 157-165.
14.
Harel, Z.
and G. Deimling1984"Social resources and mental health: an empirical refinement."J. of Gerontology39: 747-752.
15.
House, J.1981Work, Stress, and Social Support. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
16.
Kaplan, B.
, J. Cassel, and S. Gore1977"Social support and health."Medical Care15, 5 (Suppl.): 47-58.
17.
Lawton, M.
and E. Brody1969"Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living."Gerontologist9: 179-186.
18.
Lin, N.
, A. Dean, and W. Ensel1981"Social support scales: a methodological note."Schizophrenia Bulletin7: 73-89.
19.
Lowenthal, M.
and B. Robinson1976"Social networks and isolation," in R. Binstock and E. Shanas (eds.) Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
20.
Pearlin, L.
, M. Lieberman, E. Menaghan, and J. Mullan1981"The stress process."J. of Health and Social Behavior22: 337-356.
21.
Rosenberg, M.1965Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press.
22.
SAS Institute1982SAS Users Guide: Statistics. Cary, NC: Author.
23.
Strogatz, D. 1982 "Social and psychological correlates of blood pressure." Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
24.
Thoits, P.1982"Conceptual, methodological, and theoretical problems in studying social support as a buffer against life stress."J. of Health and Social Behavior23: 145-159.
25.
Turner, R.1981"Social support as a contingency in psychological well-being."J. of Health and Social Behavior22: 357-367.
26.
U.S. Bureau of the Census1980Census of the Population, North Carolina, 1980. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
27.
Ward, R.
, S. Sherman, and M. LaGory1984"Subjective network assessments and subjective well-being."J. of Gerontology39: 93-101.
28.
Williams, A.
, J. Ware, and C. Donald1981"A model of mental health, life events, and social supports applicable to general populations."J. of Health and Social Behavior22: 324-336.
29.
Wood, V.
, M. Wylie, and B. Sheafor1969"An analysis of a short self-report measure of life satisfaction: correlation with rater judgement."J. of Gerontology24: 465-469.
