Cancer-specific social support received by newly diagnosed cancer patients: validating the new Structural-Functional Social Support Scale (SFSS) measurement tool

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Abstract
To investigate potentially health-enhancing domains of cancer patients’ social relationships we evaluated various dimensions of social support as experienced in early cancer. In consecutive samples of 72 melanoma and 103 breast cancer patients diagnosed 3–4 months earlier, we evaluated the cancer-specific social network and received social support by the Structural-Functional Social Support Scale (SFSS) validated within the study. In addition, social support was measured by the MOS Social Support Survey as perceived support, and by Seeking Social Support items from the Ways of Coping Questionnaire as coping activity. SFSS measures the number of people who have been aware of the patient’s cancer and the amount of social support the patients have received from them. A large number of people from various potential support-providing sources had been aware of the patients’ cancer, and the patients had received support through these interactions. A greater number of support providers did not mean an increase in the support received. Social support was distinguished into subgroups according to its source, but the division into functional support types was weak. Support assessed as perceived support or as a coping activity did not cover the received disease-specific support of several sources. With the SFSS, it was possible to obtain detailed information on the disease-specific social network and social support. It may be beneficial to distinguish support according to the sources and to also measure support beyond the closest relationships. We hope that our measure and the results obtained will assist in identifying the targets for psychosocial interventions.