A narrative review of Emotional Support in the Context of Illness: conceptual clarification and future challenges

Abstract

This narrative review synthesizes current knowledge on emotional support (ES) in the context of illness. Based on 78 empirical and theoretical studies across psychology, health, and caregiving, it examines diverse populations facing various illnesses (chronic/acute conditions, mental disorders). First, the definitions, characteristics, and theoretical underpinnings of ES are examined, highlighting its heterogeneity and conceptual fragmentation in the literature. The impacts of ES are then explored, including its beneficial effects on patients’ well-being and the emotional cost for caregivers. A novel conceptual model is subsequently proposed that accounts for the bidirectional nature of ES and integrates key components such as emotional availability, recognition, relational balance, and expectations. This model is the first to conceptualize ES specifically within illness contexts, emphasizing its reciprocal dynamics between the patient and the relative. It aims to guide future empirical studies and inform clinical practice by clarifying how ES is perceived, provided, and experienced.