Understanding the Links Between Social Support and Physical Health: A Life-Span Perspective With Emphasis on the Separability of Perceived and Received Support

作者：Bert N. Uchino · 发表于：Perspectives on Psychological Science · 年份：2009 · DOI：10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01122.x · 被引用次数：1517 · 研究领域：Health disparities and outcomes、Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction、Physical Activity and Health

Social support has been reliably related to physical health outcomes. However, the conceptual basis of such links needs greater development. In this article, I argue for a life-span perspective on social support and health that takes into account distinct antecedent processes and mechanisms that are related to measures of support over time. Such a view highlights the need to distinguish measures of perceived and received support and its links to more specific diseases (e.g., chronic, acute) and stages of disease development (e.g., incidence). I discuss both the novel implications of these theoretical arguments for research on social support and physical health, as well as the potential intervention approaches that are apparent from this perspective.