Impact of Social Support, Article Critique Example

Purpose of the Study

The study by Connell, Davis, Gallant, & Sharpe evaluates the significance of social support and cognitive appraisal and how it impacts depression in diabetic patients, using a specific model to evaluate this framework.

Theory Used in the Study

This perspective is significant because it adopts social cognitive theory, self-management, and outcome expectancy, the latter of which may influence whether or not depression is a possibility in this patient population (Connell et.al 263). The use of social cognitive theory is instrumental in determining whether or not individuals experience a greater tendency to be depressed regarding their chronic illness, due in large part to cognitive and social constructs that influence behavior and the ability to manage the illness and the belief in specific outcomes that might occur due to the illness (Connell et.al 263).

Theoretical Constructs Used

The authors examine the different constructs of this argument and how depression is influenced by social support and relationships, among other factors (Connell et.al 263). It is important to identify the key factors that contribute to a depressive state in patients with chronic illness, particularly as they struggle in daily activities and relationships in many cases (Connell et.al 263). It is imperative to address social support and its influence on depression because it may be directly or indirectly involved, given the potential impact on self-esteem and self-management, along with cognitive appraisal that may threaten an individual’s sense of wellbeing and increase the risk of depression (Connell et.al 263).

Key Constructs Not Mentioned

The research does not address constructs that are related to issues beyond diabetes, other than to generalize chronic illness and how it is impacted by the threat of disease and how it impacts individual patients.

Methods

The chosen model used three primary constructs to establish its focus, including physical functioning, social support, and threat of diabetes, using both direct and indirect approaches (Connell et.al 263). A number of hypotheses have been identified, including the belief that garnering support leads to greater self-efficacy, the threat of diabetes and depression contributes to negative self-efficacy, the threat of diabetes contributes to lower outcome expectancies, and depression is positively correlated to the threat of diabetes (Connell et.al 264).

Study Population

The study recruited from the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center through a questionnaire method, along with 1,200 random adults who received care from the University of Michigan Hospital between January 1989-April 1990 (Connell et.al 265-266). In total, 1,500 letters were sent to potential participants, and 428 surveys were returned, with 362 completed surveys, generating a response rate of 29 percent (Connell et.al 266). Of the 362 participants, 58.3 percent were male, 62.7 percent were married, and 87.8 percent were White; in addition, 30.7 had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 69.3 percent had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Connell et.al 266). This study population represented a high level of perceived social support, and 37.7 percent met the cutoff criteria of 16 for depression (Connell et.al 266).

Data Collection

Demographic variables, self-efficacy, health background, threat of diabetes, perceived availability of social support, and diabetes-specific support were evaluated, along with depression, using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) (Connell et.al 266-267).

Measurement of Theoretical Constructs

LISREL VI was used to evaluate the model, and missing data was not included in the analysis; furthermore, a twofold measurement was used, univariate statistics were used to evaluate the variables in accordance with the model construct, and confirmatory factor analysis was used to estimate the model and its effectiveness (Connell et.al 267). The study results indicate that there are significant factors associated with the use of the model in determining how social support influences diabetes, and self-management does not decrease the perceived threat of diabetes in patients; however, physical functioning has a significant impact on chronic illness and how it influences patient wellbeing (Connell et.al 271).

Discussion

Most Interesting Findings

This research study was interesting because it represents a means of examining the different perspectives of diabetes and how it influences depression, self-esteem, and outcomes management in many patients. This research demonstrates a high level of generalizability because it supports common demographics for this patient population, along with patients who depend on insulin and those who do not, and the level of physical functioning that these patients experience (Connell et.al 271). The study findings indicate that there are a number of factors to consider in addressing depression-related diabetes, including physical functioning, social support, and the threat of diabetes, all of which contribute to a higher risk of depression for these patients (Connell et.al 271). This is an important finding because it supports the need for additional resources to assist patients with diabetes so that they achieve greater support and are able to manage their illness effectively without extensive depressive symptoms to accompany the management phase.

Strengths and Weaknesses

With this study, there are a number of challenges to consider, including the relatively low response rate to the questionnaire instrument, and the large response rate of White participants versus those of other races. This demonstrates a need to expand the scope of the study and to identify how the disease impacts other patients in the context of the chosen variables.

Additional Questions Raised

This study raises questions regarding diabetes and social support, as this relationship remains somewhat unclear and requires further evaluation. It is important to provide patients with a framework for expanding their understanding of diabetes and whether or not they face a higher risk of depression due to the illness, and this data may be transferrable to other chronic illnesses that impact many people. Therefore, additional questions must be considered in order to fully understand the scope of this topic for diabetes and other chronically ill patients.

Works Cited

Connell, Cathleen M., Davis, Wayne K., Gallant, Mary P., & Sharpe, Patricia A. “ Impact of social support, social cognitive variables, and perceived threat on depression among adults with diabetes.” Health Psychology, 13.3(1994): 263-273.