Social support as mediator of the stress buffering effect of optimism: The importance of differentiating the recipients' and providers ' perspective

Abstract: Using a dyadie design, this longitudinal study with 85 eouples examined whether the stress buffering effeet oJ optimism is due to an aetual higher availability oJsocial support or to positive illusions about available soeial support by taking simultaneously the reeipients ' and the providers ' perspeetive on soeial support into aeeount. At baseline, optimism and social supportJrom the recipients ' and the providers ' perspeetive were assessed. Pereeived stress was measured at 3 months Jollow-up. Aetor- Partner lnterdependenee Models showed that optimism was prospectively related to lower stress. Soeial support Jrom the recipients', but not Jrom the providers ' perspeetive, partially mediated this relationship. The results suggest that optimists hold positive illusions about available support and that these illusions aeeount at least partly Jor the stress buffe ring effeet. Key words: optimism; pessimism; perceived stress; social support; support provider; support recipien