Social Support

 

 

Social Support:
General Information

When?

Time 1

Time 2

Time 3

Time 4

Time 5

Time 6

Time 7

Where?

Intensive Protocol
(IP)

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Questionnaire
IP:
Social relationships
(Section B, Section C, Section H)
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SIR Data bank

IP:
Psycho
rec/table 1 (P1data)

rec/table 2 (P1const)

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Aspects of social support assessed in BASE were: support received and given as well as reciprocity of support (objective, and as perceived by participant). Additionally, a differentiation was made between emotional and instrumental support (cf. Fischer, 1982; Kahn & Antonucci, 1980) in all three aspects of social support. Participants named the persons they had helped and/or who had helped them in the following areas: (1) practical things, (2) help with errands or shopping, (3) nursing care, (4) talking about problems and worries, and (5) encouragement and reassurance. Participants could name up to five network members if applicable.
Whereas the first three elements constitute instrumental support, the last two were defined as emotional support. Exchange of affection (operationalized as non-sexual physical contact such as hugs and kisses) was treated as an independent dimension of social relationships.
The reciprocity of social support was assessed in two ways. First, objective reciprocity was assessed examining the presence/absence of reciprocity within the support network (e. g. participant receives support from Peter, just as Peter receives support from participant). Secondly, the subjectively perceived reciprocity of support in the past and the present was assessed by two questions.

Literature: Antonucci, 1985; Fischer, 1982; Kahn & Antonucci, 1980; Schütze & Lang, 1993; Wagner, Schütze & Lang, 1996, 1999. 

 

 

 

Items used in BASE:
Support Received

Note:
The answers were coded as: 0 = no, 1 = yes.


BASE items / variables

English translation

Variable names
Time 1

1.

Hat Ihnen jemand während der letzten drei Monate bei irgendwelchen praktischen Dingen geholfen, z.B. im Haushalt, beim Saubermachen oder bei Reparatur-arbeiten?

Has anyone helped you with your household chores, i.e. cleaning up or fixing something, during the past three months?

b1uprak

2.

Hätten Sie eine solche Hilfe während der letzten drei Monate gebraucht?

Did you need such help?

b1uprakx

3.

Haben Sie während der letzten drei Monate mit jemandem über ganz persönliche Dinge gesprochen, z.B. wenn Sie Kummer oder Sorgen hatten?

Did you confide in anyone about personal matters, i.e. about problems or worries, in the past three months?

b1usorg

4.

Hätten Sie während der letzten drei Monate eine solche Hilfe gebraucht?

Would it have helped you to have had someone to confide in?

b1usorgx

5.

Hat Ihnen während der letzten drei Monate jemand beim Einkaufen oder bei anderen Besorgungen geholfen?

Has anyone helped you with your shopping or gone on other errands for you during the past three months?

b1ukauf

6.

Hätten Sie während der letzten drei Monate eine solche Hilfe gebraucht?

Did you need such help?

b1ukaufx

7.

Hat Sie während der letzten drei Monate jemand aufgemuntert, wenn Sie einmal traurig waren?

Was there anyone who cheered you up when you were feeling down during the past three months?

b1umunt

8.

Hätten Sie während der letzten drei Monate eine solche Aufmunterung gebraucht?

Could you have used some cheering up?

b1umuntx

9.

Hat Sie während der letzten drei Monate jemand in den Arm genommen, Ihnen einen Kuß gegeben oder war sonstwie zärtlich zu Ihnen?

Did anyone hug you, give you a kiss, or show you any other gestures of fondness towards you during the past three months?

b1ukuss

10.

Haben Sie während der letzten drei Monate solche Zärtlichkeiten vermißt?

Did you miss having someone show their fondness to you?

b1ukussx

11.

Wer pflegt und versorgt Sie gegenwärtig?

Who cares for you at the moment?

b1ubett

12.

Wer würde Sie pflegen und versorgen, wenn Sie einmal dauerhaft bettlägerig wären?

Who would care for you, if you were confined to bed indefinitely?

b1upflg

 

 

Aggregated Variables in BASE:
Support Received

Note:
Variables listed in the following table are available for every supporting network partner (NP) mentioned by participant.
Participants could name up to five network partners for each supporting act.
Variables marked with * were coded as: 0 = no, 1 = yes.

Aggregated variables

Variable names
Time 1

Support participant receives from a single specific network partner

1.

Network Partner (NP) helps participant with household chores

b1vprak *

2.

participant confides in NP about personal matters

b1vsorg *

3.

NP helps participant with shopping

b1vkauf *

4.

NP cheers participant up

b1vmunt *

5.

NP shows gestures of fondness to participant

b1vkuss *

6.

NP cares for participant at the moment

b1vbett *

7.

NP would care for participant if he / she was confined to bed indefinitely

b1vpflg *

8.

Overall
(Number of kinds of support provided by NP)

b1veu
Sum
(b1vprak, b1vsorg, b1vkauf, b1vmunt, b1vbett,b1vpflg)

9.

Emotional
(Number of kinds of emotional support provided by NP)

b1veue
Sum
(b1vsorg, b1vmunt)

10.

Instrumental (Number of kinds of instrumental support provided by NP)

b1veui
Sum
(b1vprak, b1vkauf, b1vbett, b1vpflg)

 

 

Raw Constructs Created in BASE:
Support Received

Constructs

Construct names
Time 1

Range of different kinds of support participant received from network partners
(Number of kinds of support called on)

1.

Overall

b1eh

Sum
( b1uprak, b1usorg, b1ukauf, b1umunt, b1ukuss, b1ubett, b1upflg)

2.

Instrumental

b1eih

Sum
(b1uprak, b1ukauf, b1ubett)

3.

Emotional

b1eeh 

Sum
(b1usorg, b1umunt, b1ukuss)

Extent of kinds and providers of support respondent called on
(Network partners may be counted several times if providing different kinds of support)

1.

Overall total

b1ehhl

Sum (b1veu)

1a.

Overall mean

b1ehdh

Mean (b1veu)

2.

Instrumental (total)

b1eihhl

Sum (b1veui)

3.

Emotional (total)

b1eehhl

Sum (b1veue)

Number of supporting persons

1.

Overall

b1ehnp

Sum (ehnp)

2.

Instrumental only

b1ehinp

Sum (ehinp)

3.

Emotional only

b1ehenp

Sum (ehenp)

4.

Instrumental as well as emotional

b1ehmnp

Sum (ehmnp)

Different kinds of support received: Number of persons...

1.

who helped participant with household chores

b1eprak

Sum (b1vprak)

2.

participant confides in ... about personal matters

b1esorg

Sum (b1vsorg)

3.

who helped participant with shopping

b1ekauf

Sum (b1vkauf)

4.

who cheered participant up

b1emunt

Sum (b1vmunt)

5.

who showed gestures of fondness to participant

b1ekuss

Sum (b1vkuss)

6.

who cared for participant at the moment

b1ebett

Sum (b1vbett)

7.

who would care for participant in case of being confined to bed indefinitely

b1epflg

Sum (b1vpflg)

Number of supporting persons: Types of relationships

1.

relatives (overall)

b1ehfa

Sum score

2.

partner

b1ehlg

Sum score

3.

daughters

b1ehto

Sum score

4.

daughters living in Berlin

b1ehtob

Sum score

5.

sons

b1ehso

Sum score

6.

sons living in Berlin

b1ehsob

Sum score

7.

sisters

b1ehsw

Sum score

8.

brothers

b1ehbr

Sum score

9.

other family members

b1ehsf

Sum score

10.

friends

b1ehfr

Sum score

11.

other non-relatives

b1ehnv

Sum score

Number of supporting persons: Position in network

Number of ... in 1st circle

1.

nuclear family members

b1ehcfk1

Sum score

2.

relatives

b1ehcvk1

Sum score

3.

friends

b1ehcfk1

Sum score

4.

other persons

b1ehnvk1

Sum score

Number of ... in 2nd circle

1.

nuclear family members

b1ehcfk2

Sum score

2.

relatives

b1ehcvk2

Sum score

3.

friends

b1ehcfk2

Sum score

4.

other persons

b1ehnvk2

Sum score

Number of ... in 3rd circle

1.

nuclear family members

b1ehcfk3

Sum score

2.

relatives

b1ehcvk3

Sum score

3.

friends

b1ehcfk3

Sum score

4.

other persons

b1ehnvk3

Sum score

Need for ... support

1.

overall

b1enh

Sum score

2.

instrumental

b1enih

Sum score

3.

emotional

b1eneh

Sum score

4.

tenderness-related

b1enzh

Sum score

Hugs / Tenderness: Interaction with

1.

overall

b1zhl

Sum score

2.

relatives

b1zfa

Sum score

3.

partner

b1zlg

Sum score

4.

daughter

b1zto

Sum score

5.

son

b1zso

Sum score

6.

sister

b1zsw

Sum score

7.

brother

b1zbr

Sum score

8.

other family member

b1zsf

Sum score

9.

friends

b1zfr

Sum score

10.

other non-relatives

b1znv

Sum score

 

 

Items used in BASE:
Support Given

Note:
The answers were coded as: 0 = no, 1 = yes.


BASE items / variables

English translation

Variable names
Time 1

1.

Haben Sie während der letzten drei Monate jemandem bei irgendwelchen praktischen Dingen geholfen, z.B. im Haushalt, beim Saubermachen oder bei Reparaturarbeiten?

Did you help anyone with his or her household chores, i.e. cleaning up or fixing something, during the past three months?

b1uprakc

2.

Hat jemand während der letzten drei Monate mit Ihnen über seine persönlichen Dinge geredet, z.B. wenn er oder sie Kummer hatte oder sich Sorgen machte?

Did anyone confide in you about personal matters, i.e. about problems or worries, in the past three months?

b1usorgc

3.

Haben Sie während der letzten drei Monate jemandem beim Einkaufen oder bei anderen Besorgungen geholfen?

Have you helped anyone with his or her shopping or gone on other errands for him or her during the past three months?

b1ukaufc

4.

Haben Sie während der letzten drei Monate jemanden aufgemuntert, wenn er oder sie traurig war?

Did you cheer up anyone when he or she was feeling down during the past three months?

b1umuntc

5.

Haben Sie während der letzten drei Monate jemanden in den Arm genommen, ihm oder ihr einen Kuß gegeben oder waren sonstwie zärtlich zu ihm oder ihr?

Did you hug anyone, give him or her a kiss, or show any other gestures of fondness towards him or her during the past three months?

b1ukussc

6.

Gibt es jemanden, den Sie pflegen und versorgen würden, wenn er oder sie einmal dauerhaft bettlägerig wäre?

Is there anybody whom you would care for, if he or she was confined to bed indefinitely?

b1upflgc

 

 

 

Aggregated Variables in BASE:
Support Given

Note:
Variables listed in the following table are available for every supporting network partner mentioned by participant.
Participants could name up to five network partners for different kinds of support as contained in the table below.
Variables marked with * were coded as: 0 = no, 1 = yes.

Aggregated variables

Variable names
Time 1

Support given to a single specific network partner (NP) by participant

1.

Participant helps NP with household chores

b1vprakc *

2.

NP confides in participant about personal matters

b1vsorgc *

3.

Participant helps NP with shopping

b1vkaufc *

4.

Participant cheers NP up

b1vmuntc *

5.

Participant shows gestures of fondness to NP

b1vkussc *

6.

Participant would care for NP in case of being confined to bed lastingly

b1vpflgc *

7.

Overall
(Number of kinds of support provided to NP)

b1vgu
Sum (b1uprakc, b1usorgc, b1ukaufc, b1umuntc, b1upflgc)

8.

To helper
(NP who supports participant, too)

b1vguh
b1vguh = b1vgu,
if b1veu is not 0

9.

To non-helper
(NP who does not support participant)

b1vgunh
b1vgunh = b1vgu,
if b1veu is 0

10.

Emotional
(Number of kinds of emotional support provided to NP)

b1vgue
Sum (b1usorgc, b1umuntc)

11.

Instrumental
(Number of kinds of instrumental support provided to NP)

b1vgui
Sum (b1uprakc, b1ukaufc, b1upflgc)

 

 

 

Raw Constructs Created in BASE:
Support Given

Constructs

Construct names
Time 1

Range of different kinds of support given from participant to network partner
(number of types of support called on)

1.

Overal
b1gh
Sum
(items b1uprak, b1usorg, b1ukauf, b1umunt, b1ukuss, b1ubett, b1upflg)

2.

Emotional
b1geh
Sum (b1usorg, b1umunt, b1ukuss)

3.

Instrumental
b1gih
Sum
(b1uprak, b1ukauf, b1ubett)

Extent of types of support given by participant and Network Partners
(network partners may count several times if given different kinds of support)

1.

Overall
b1ghhl
Sum (b1vgu)

1a.

Overall
b1ghdh
Mean (b1vgu)

Number of supported network partners

1.

Overall
b1ghnp
Sum score

2.

Instrumental only
b1ghinp
Sum score

3.

Emotional only
b1ghenp
Sum score

4.

Instrumental as well as emotional
b1ghmnp
Sum score

Different types of support given: Number of persons (to) whom participant...

1.

helps with household chores
b1gprakc
Sum (b1vprakc)

2.

is a confidant about personal matters
b1gsorgc
Sum (b1vsorgc)

3.

helps with shopping
b1gkaufc
Sum (b1vkaufc)

4.

cheers up
b1gmuntc
Sum (b1vmuntc)

5.

shows gestures of fondness
b1gkussc
Sum (b1vkussc)

6.

would care for in case of being confined to bed lastingly
b1gpflgc
Sum (b1vpflgc)

Number of supported persons: Types of relationships

1.

relatives (overall)
b1ghfa
Sum score

2.

partner
b1ghlg
Sum score

3.

daughters
b1ghto
Sum score

4.

daughters living in Berlin
b1ghtob
Sum score

5.

sons
b1ghso
Sum score

6.

sons living in Berlin
b1ghsob
Sum score

7.

sisters
b1ghsw
Sum score

8.

brothers
b1ghbr
Sum score

9.

other family members
b1ghsf
Sum score

10.

friends
b1ghfr
Sum score

11.

other non-relatives
b1ghnv
Sum score

 

 

Items used in BASE:
Reciprocity of Support

Original items

Translations used in BASE

Variable names
Time 1

1.

Looking back into the past and thinking of what you have done for other people and what other people have done for you, what would you say?

Wenn Sie auf Ihr Leben in der Vergangenheit zurückblicken und an das denken, was Sie für andere Menschen getan haben und andere Menschen für Sie getan haben. Was würden Sie sagen?


I've done ...

1 = very much indeed
2 = much
3 = little

... for other people.

Ich habe ...

1 = außergewöhnlich viel
2 = viel
3 = wenig

... für andere Menschen getan.

b1urezvg

Other persons have done ...

1 = very much indeed
2 = much
3 = little

... for me.

Andere Menschen haben ...

1 = außergewöhnlich viel
2 = viel
3 = wenig

... für mich getan.

b1urezve

2.

I will now repeat the question. But this time please think of the present. What would you say?

Ich stelle Ihnen jetzt noch einmal die gleiche Frage. Aber diesmal denken Sie bitte an die Gegenwart. Was würden Sie sagen?


I do ...

1 = very much indeed
2 = much
3 = little

... for other persons.

Ich tue ...

1 = außergewöhnlich viel
2 = viel
3 = wenig

für andere Menschen.

b1urezgg

Other persons do ...

1 = very much indeed
2 = much
3 = little

... for me.

Andere Menschen tun ...

1 = außergewöhnlich viel
2 = viel
3 = wenig

... für mich.

b1urezge

 

 

Aggregated Variables in BASE:
Reciprocity of Support

Aggregated variables

Variable names
Time 1

Exchange of support

1.

Exchange of support (with network partner)
b1vha
0 = no,
1 = yes
(at least one supports the other)

2.

Exchange of instrumental support
b1viha
0 = no,
1 = yes (at least one supports the other)

3.

Exchange of emotional support
b1veha
0 = no,
1 = yes (at least one supports the other)

4.

Kind of exchange
b1vart
Difference score (b1veu - b1vgu)

0 = no exchange of support at all
1 = only instrumental exchange
2 = only emotional exchange,
3 = exchange of instrumental and emotional support

5.

Kind of exchange in relationship
b1vexc
-

6.

Mutual potential caregiver
b1vphs
0 = no,
1 = yes (at least one supports the other)

Symmetry of support

1.

Symmetry of support (overall)
b1vhs
0 = no, 1 = yes

2.

Symmetry of support (without potential care)
b1vshs
0 = no, 1 = yes

3.

Symmetry of instrumental support
b1vihs
0 = no, 1 = yes

4.

Symmetry of emotional support
b1vehs
0 = no, 1 = yes

 

 

Raw Constructs Created in BASE:
Reciprocity of Support

Constructs

Construct names
Time 1

Different kinds of support given (Number)

1.

Overall

b1rh
Sum (b1uprak, b1usorg, b1ukauf, b1umunt, b1ukuss, b1ubett, b1upflg)

2.

Instrumental

b1rih
Sum (b1uprak, b1ukauf, b1ubett)

3.

Emotional

b1reh
Sum (b1usorg, b1umunt, b1ukuss)

Number of network members exchanging support with participant

1.

Overall

b1rhha
Sum score

2.

Instrumental

b1rhiha
Sum score

3.

Instrumental only

b1rhins
Sum score

4.

Emotional

b1rheha
Sum score

5.

Emotional only

b1rhemo
Sum score

6.

Instrumental as well as emotional

b1rhinem
Sum score

Symmetry of exchange

1.

Symmetry of support

b1rhrec
Sum score

2.

Under-beneficiary from exchange

b1rhub
Sum score

3.

Over-beneficiary from exchange

b1rhhob
Sum score