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The concept of social support as being directive or nondirective may help explain why helping can either boost or impede morale. The Inventory of Nondirective and Directive Instrumental Support (INDIS) was developed to investigate this question. The directive factor concerns others' attempts to dominate coping and the nondirective factor concerns others' attempts to facilitate but not dominate coping. Studies 1 and 2 identified and confirmed these factors. Study 3 showed predicted associations between INDIS subscales and measures of morale. Nondirective support (from a family member) was positively related to hope and optimism, and directive support (from either a family member or a friend) was positively related to depression and loneliness, even after controlling for other social support measures.
Harber et al. (Mon,) studied this question.