ABSTRACT
The provision or facilitation of social support is frequently a central goal of family programs. Yet while there is clear consensus that social support is important, there is little consensus as to how it is best conceptualized and measured, or what the processes are by which it promotes the objectives of families. In this chapter I will provide a brief review of the literature on the conceptualization, measurement, and effects of social support, then offer a pragmatic guide to various approaches to the measurement of social support.
