Book Description

This study seeks to advance insight into the mechanics of the social support process by examining the relationships between informal spousal and community ties and one's need for and use of formal social support services. This secondary hierarchical regression data analysis employs cross sectional data that were gathered by the United States Air Force as a stratified, random probability sample of 100,000 active duty military members of which roughly 51% responded to an anonymous mail survey. This study examines the relationship between informal and formal social support in order to develop explanatory models generating causal hypotheses for future investigation. A major gap in the area of informal and formal social support is addressed in that this population is healthy compared to the elderly, physically and mentally ill populations typically examined in the study of informal and formal social support linkages. Regardless of the degree of informal tie, primary (marital) or secondary (community volunteerism) informal support was positively related to both the need for, and the use of; formal support services consistent with complementary theory. Findings suggest that marital status and community volunteerism may not function as sources of informal support in the military population. Rather, marital status and community volunteerism may actually function as sources of formal support in the military culture representing a marked departure from current conceptualizations in social support linkage research. Also positively related to the need for formal support was the number of hours one volunteered in one's community. Conversely, satisfaction with either marital or community informal support predicted less need for formal support. The physical availability of one's marital partner was not related to the need for, nor the use of formal support in an overseas subsi(3g*)