Premium
The structure and function of social support networks in families with handicapped children
Author(s) -
Kazak Anne E.,
Wilcox Brian L.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/bf00922617
Subject(s) - reciprocity (cultural anthropology) , friendship , psychology , developmental psychology , social support , spina bifida , social network (sociolinguistics) , context (archaeology) , health psychology , social psychology , public health , geography , medicine , computer science , surgery , nursing , archaeology , world wide web , social media
Three structural characteristics of social support networks (size, density, and boundary density) and two relationship characteristics (reciprocity and dimensionality) were assessed in a sample of 56 families with a child with spina bifida and 53 matched comparison families. The results indicate that social networks of families with handicapped children tended to be smaller than the networks of comparison families, particularly with regard to mothers' total and friendship networks. The networks of families with handicapped children were more dense as well. As predicted, there was greater boundary density in spousal networks in families with handicapped children. Differences in network reciprocity were inconclusive while the results indicate that families with handicapped children tended to rely more heavily upon multidimensional network contacts than did comparison families. The results are discussed in light of our understanding of stress, social support, and the social ecological context of families.