Social Support Essay

On Social Support

Social support was defined by Berger (1992) as the resources that are provided by other persons. This broad concept of social support was organized or operationalized into three categories by Barrera (1986): (a) social embeddedness (the connection to significant others); (b) perceived social support (access to social support resources and appraisal of that support); and (c) enacted support (actions that others perform when they render assistance to a focal person). In the gay community, many of these supports have been either in the categories of social embeddedness or perceived social support. Barrera (1986) also found a positive relationship between social support and stress: When gay men are isolated socially and emotionally from the mainstream of society they often develop, enhance, or utilize social support resources

The relationships with one’s family are typically the first an individual experiences, thus providing a foundation for identity formation. Consistent with Erikson’s model of identity development, Bosma and Kunnen (2001) suggest the outcomes of earlier developmental crises impacts the search for one’s identity. For example, positive outcomes from previous life challenges are more likely to produce a positive outcome in identity formation. In the early stages, parents help the individual develop a sense of trust by providing resources (e.g. food, water, shelter, etc.) and comfort when the individual enters the world. Similarly, the family also fosters autonomy and initiative in children when they allow children to make appropriate decisions and engage in new activities. Since family members play such a crucial role in the early experiences of children, it is easy to see the role that familial support plays in the formation of an individual’s identity. Successful negotiation of the early crises depends on support from the