28 Chapter 2 & Givertz, 2003). In contrast, support groups as well as mutual help and self-help groups rely on the assumption that the provision of social support (leading to enhanced coping) results in improved mental health (Cohen & Wills, 1985; Lakey & Cohen, 2000). Social support can be provided in different ways: emotional (i.e., through the expression of care and empathy), informational (i.e., by providing of information and guidance), appraisal (i.e., by providing constructive feedback and affirmation), and instrumental (i.e., through the direct provision of resources and services) (Heaney & Israel, 2008; House, 1981). For example, support groups are aimed at improving coping in times of stressful events by providing the opportunity to share information, discuss advice and feedback (i.e., informational and appraisal support), and to practice social skills in a group (Perese &Wolf, 2005). Mutual help and self-help groups have a joint focus on the exchange of social support (i.e., emotional, informational, appraisal, and instrumental support) between individuals or peers in a group who share common problems (Andersson, 1998; Perese & Wolf, 2005). Community empowerment groups are aimed at the development of groups in the community characterized by collective strengths to facilitate access to resources and activities (i.e., instrumental support and companionship) in the community (Andersson, 1998; Biegel et al., 1994). Lastly, volunteer and/or peer linkage, including befriending, mentoring, and peer supported interventions, are interventions in which an individual is matched to a trained community volunteer, mentor, or peer respectively to develop an unidirectional social relationship, attain specific goals (i.e., particularly in mentoring), provide social support, engage in social activities, and facilitate access to resources and services in the community (Andersson, 1998; Biegel et al., 1994; Perese & Wolf, 2005; Siette et al., 2017). Although the abovementioned social network interventions are described separately, they are also combined. Thus, in general, the types of social network interventions can be distinguished on the basis of their main approach to improve mental health, such as a focus on maintaining and strengthening existing supportive social relationships (e.g., clinical interventions and social skills training), providing social support (e.g., support groups, mutual help and self-help groups), and building new supportive social relationships in the community (e.g., community groups and volunteer-linking) (Biegel et al., 1994; Heaney & Israel, 2008). Furthermore, social network interventions can differ in the way they are implemented, including the type of care provider used (e.g., natural support members, peers and community volunteers with or without a history of mental problems, and professionals), as well as the format (e.g., group and individual), location (e.g., the provision of social support in the community, neighborhood, or treatment setting), duration, and intensity of care (Andersson, 1998; Biegel et al., 1994; Hogan et al., 2002; Perese & Wolf, 2005).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjY0ODMw