SOCIAL-CONTEXT, COPING STRATEGIES, AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS - AN EXPANDED MODEL WITH CARDIAC PATIENTS

This research broadened and refined a resources model of coping to enc ompass negative as well as positive aspects of social relationships an d examined this expanded conceptualization in a 4-year prospective mod el with 183 cardiac patients (140 men and 43 women). Social support an d social stressors in the family and extrafamily domains contributed s ignificantly to a common social context latent construct. In addition, this conceptualization of social context was significantly related to depressive symptoms 4 years later. Especially important conceptually, coping strategies functioned as a mechanism through which both social support and social stressors related to subsequent depressive symptom s. Moreover, positive and negative aspects of social relationships mad e essentially unique contributions in predicting subsequent coping eff orts.