Informal Caregivers of the Chronically Ill and Their Social Support: A Pilot Study

The social support networks of 77 informal caregivers of the chronically ill are examined in relation to social participation and well-being. Correlational analyses support the propositions of the general social support model that hypothesized that "robust" social networks (i.e., large size, with close relationships of long duration and frequent contact) are associated with higher levels of social participation. Social participation, in turn, is related to higher levels of well-being and life satisfaction. Dimensions of social networks are not directly associated with well-being. Satisfaction with one's health and higher levels of worry and stress are associated with higher levels of satisfaction with frlends and outside activities. Contrasting social network structures and sources of support among caregivers of three types of chronically ill patients served by three different programs are compared.