Communicating Social Support [Paperback]

A communication-based approach for understanding why some conversations about problems are more helpful than others.When we experience daily stresses or major crises, we often talk to our friends, family, spouses, and partners. Some of these observations are helpful; some are not. This book provides a communication-based approach for understanding why some conversations about problems are more helpful than others. In contrast to other research on these social support processes, this book focuses on interpersonal communication: what people say, how they say it, and their reactions to it. Studies include adults of all ages and various kinds of stresses, from everyday hassles to serious stressors and illness.When we experience daily stresses or major crises, we often talk to our friends, family, spouses, and partners. Some of these observations are helpful; some are not. This book provides a communication-based approach for understanding why some conversations about problems are more helpful than others. In contrast to other research on these social support processes, this book focuses on interpersonal communication: what people say, how they say it, and their reactions to it. Studies include adults of all ages and various kinds of stresses, from everyday hassles to serious stressors and illness.We often turn to our friends, family, spouses, and partners for help in coping with daily stress or major crises. Daena Goldsmith provides a communication-based approach for understanding why some conversations about problems are more helpful than others. In contrast to other research on the social support processes, Goldsmith focuses on interpersonal communication--what people say and how they say it, as well as their reactions to the conversations. Her studies cover adults of all ages and various kinds of stresses, ranging from everyday hassles to serious illnesses and other major crises.Introduction; 1. Puzzles in the study of enacted social support; 2. Conceptualizing enacl39