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PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR ADULTS WITH BRAIN INJURY
Title
PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR ADULTS WITH BRAIN INJURY
Creator
Batchos, Elisabeth
Date
2017, 2017-07
Description
Extensive research has demonstrated social support is a protective factor in the recovery process for people with disabilities. Following...
Show moreExtensive research has demonstrated social support is a protective factor in the recovery process for people with disabilities. Following acquired brain injury (ABI), individuals’ social networks dwindle, support declines, and isolation increases; thus, social support is a critical variable in combating these issues during the rehabilitation process. This study draws on the tri-dimensional model of social support to examine predictors of functional support for adults with ABI. Specifically, this study examines the impact of problem solving characteristics and structural (e.g., network composition) and appraisal (e.g., network helpfulness) support variables on two types of perceived functional support outcomes: emotional and instrumental support. Participants included 170 adults with ABI from across the United States who completed an online survey about their social and community experiences. Separate hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine predictors of two dependent variables: perceived emotional and instrumental support. Four variable sets were entered: (1) demographic and injury characteristics; (2) problem solving variables (approach-avoidance style, problem solving confidence); (3) structural support variables (number of roles in informal and formal networks, Internet use); and (4) appraisal support variables (perceived helpfulness of informal and formal networks). Together these variables accounted for 44% of the variance in emotional support outcomes (R² = .44, p < .001) and 34% of the variance in instrumental support outcomes (R² = .34, p < .001). Both analyses showed a similar pattern of predictors—namely, problem solving confidence and quality and quantity of informal network ties. However, Internet use was a significant predictor only of instrumental support while helpfulness of one’s formal network only predicted emotional support. Findings from this study highlight the common and unique variables that promote different types of functional support. Psychosocial functioning is often a meaningful goal for long-term recovery from ABI, and these findings can be used to target the development of psychosocial interventions designed to increase emotional and instrumental support. Such interventions would address a gap in many current rehabilitation programs by focusing on strategies designed to increase specific types of social support. Further, interventions to enhance social support promote a valuable rehabilitation construct, as social support has repeatedly been associated with improved outcomes in other aspects of health and wellness for people with ABI.
Ph.D. in Psychology, July 2017
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