How Do Social Interactions with a Significant Other Affect PTSD Symptoms? An Empirical Investigation with a Clinical Sample.

Social support and coping are both related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, but the mechanisms underlying their relationships remain unclear. This study explores these relationships by examining the perceived frequency of supportive and countersupportive interactions with a significant other in PTSD patients. Ninety-six participants with PTSD were recruited and completed questionnaires assessing social interactions, ways of coping, and PTSD symptoms. Associations of social interactions (r2 = 4.1%-7.9%, p < .05) and coping (r2 = 15.9%-16.5%, p < .001) with symptoms were independent, and suggested a direct association between social interactions and PTSD. Countersupportive interactions were more associated to symptoms than supportive interactions. Our findings suggest the development of psychotherapies that integrate social support interventions.

[The relationship between social support, psychological stress and the risk of developing anxiety disorders in men and women: results of a national study]. / Les relations entre le soutien social, le bien-être et la détresse psychologique chez les hommes et les femmes avec un trouble anxieux: résultats d'une enquête nationale.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the links between different types of social support, psychological well-being and distress among individuals with anxiety disorders. METHODS: Data were drawn from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS cycle 1.2) which had 36,984 participants, 1,803 of whom presented with anxiety disorders. Classical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the links between different social support dimensions and psychological well-being on one hand, and psychological distress on the other hand. RESULTS: Women reported perceiving significantly higher levels of affective, emotional/informational, tangible support and positive social interactions than men. After controlling for potentially confounding variables (socio-demographic variables and the presence of a major depressive disorder), three types of social supports appeared to be predictors for the psychological well-being of women with anxiety disorders: positive social interactions, emotional/informational support, and affective support. For men, none of the social support variables were significantly associated with psychological well-being or distress. The comparisons of Beta coefficients do not show any significant difference between the sexes. CONCLUSION: Social support appears to be a positive predictor for psychological well-being among women with an anxiety disorder. No associations were found between social support variables and the psychological distress perceived by men and women. The results of this study therefore confirm the importance of teaching appropriate support strategies adapted for anxiety disorders. Future studies should assess negative social interactions in addition to social support.

[Elaboration and validation of a questionnaire measuring social support in situations of anxiety with a population of university students]. / Développement et validation d'un questionnaire mesurant le soutien social en situation d'anxiété auprès d'une population universitaire.

A new measure of the social support specifically intended for anxiety disorders has been elaborated ; this new scale entitled "Questionnaire sur les Comportements de Soutien en situation d'Anxiété" (QCSA ; Guay et al., 2003) consists of 65 items measuring positive and negative perceived social support. Among a sample of 257 university students, the QCSA shows good psychometric properties (internal consistency and correlations with related constructs). Results of an exploratory factor analysis identified three factors : 1) criticism and coercive strategies, 2) anxiety management and reinforcement, and 3) distraction. Significant correlations were found with measures of anxiety, functioning and psychological distress. The QCSA is an adequate scale to evaluate social support in relation to mental health.