![]() ![]() Responsive support requires the knowledge of how to support others and take their perspective, the resources (i.e., cognitive, emotional, and/or tangible) needed to provide effective support, and the motivation to accept the responsibility to support another. Support-providers might also be neglectful or disengaged, over-involved, controlling, or otherwise out of sync with the recipient's needs. Support-providers may inadvertently do more harm than good if they make the person feel weak, needy, or inadequate induce guilt or indebtedness make the recipient feel like a burden minimize or discount the recipient's problem, goal, or accomplishment blame the recipient for his or her misfortunes or setbacks or restrict autonomy or self-determination. "Being responsive involves providing the type and amount of support that is dictated by the situation and by the partner's needs, and being sensitive involves responding to needs in such a way that the support-recipient feels understood, validated, and cared for." ![]() Any behaviors in the service of providing SOS and RC support must be enacted both responsively and sensitively to promote thriving," explains Feeney. "It is not just whether someone provides support, but it is how he or she does it that determines the outcome of that support. ![]() The researchers emphasize that there are certain characteristics of support-providers that enhance their capacity to provide meaningful support. This form of support emphasizes that the promotion of thriving through life opportunities is its core purpose.Ĭan a support-provider do more harm than good? This type of support is referred to as relational catalyst (RC) support because support providers can serve as active catalysts for thriving in this context. Supportive relationships help people thrive in this context by enabling them to embrace and pursue opportunities that enhance positive well-being, broaden and build resources, and foster a sense of purpose and meaning in life. The second important function of relationships is to support thriving in the absence of adversity by promoting full participation in life opportunities for exploration, growth, and personal achievement. "We refer to this as source of strength (SOS) support, and emphasize that the promotion of thriving through adversity is the core purpose of this support function." "Relationships serve an important function of not simply helping people return to baseline, but helping them to thrive by exceeding prior baseline levels of functioning," explains lead researcher Brooke Feeney. The first important function of relationships is to support thriving through adversity, not only by buffering individuals from negative effects of stress, but also by enabling them to flourish either because of or in spite of their circumstances. The review emphasizes two types of support, both serving unique functions in different life contexts. People will be most likely to thrive with well-functioning close relationships that serve different support functions - whether the relationship is with friends, parents, siblings, a spouse, or mentors. Relationships can permit a person to thrive, but unfortunately we know relatively little about how relationships promote or hinder thriving.Īccording to the researchers, thriving involves 5 components of well-being hedonic well-being (happiness, life satisfaction), eudaimonic well-being (having purpose and meaning in life, progressing toward meaningful life goals), psychological well-being (positive self-regard, absence of mental health symptoms/disorders), social well-being (deep and meaningful human connections, faith in others and humanity, positive interpersonal expectancies), and physical well-being (healthy weight and activity levels, health status above expected baselines). Researchers Brooke Feeney of Carnegie Mellon University and Nancy Collins of University of California at Santa Barbara emphasize the importance of relationships in supporting individuals not only in their ability to cope with stress or adversity, but also in their efforts to learn, grow, explore, achieve goals, cultivate new talents, and find purpose and meaning in life. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |