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Abstract Knowledge regarding social support has increased expotentially in the last decade; however, it remains unclear how support prevents or relieves stress and whether persons experiencing different kinds of stress need different kinds of support. This paper explores these issues. First, some of the stressful encounters reported by disaster victims are identified. Next, alternative schools of thought regarding how social support is conceptualized and measured is discussed. Finally, a longitudinal disaster study conducted by the author in which two rival hypotheses (self‐efficacy and social support) were tested in mediating the relationship between stress and health is reported. Recommendations for future study are suggested in light of current methodological issues and study findings.
Shirley A. Murphy (Fri,) studied this question.