Intrusive social support among Black and White individuals with type 2 diabetes: A "Control issue" or a sign of "Concern and love"?

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 18; no. 8; p. e0288258
• Main Authors: Naqvi, Jeanean B, Liu, Rachael S, Helgeson, Vicki S, Hamm, Megan E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 08.08.2023
• Subjects: African Americans; Analysis; Biology and Life Sciences; Care and treatment; Children & youth; Chronic Disease; Chronic diseases; Chronic illnesses; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetes therapy; Diagnosis; Families & family life; Health aspects; Hispanic people; Humans; Illnesses; Interviews; Love; Marginality, Social; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Medicine, Experimental; Minority & ethnic groups; People and Places; Police brutality; Populations; Psychological aspects; Race; Research and Analysis Methods; Self-care, Health; Social aspects; Social interactions; Social networks; Social Sciences; Social Support; Type 2 diabetes; White People; United States
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288258

Family members and friends play an important supportive role in the management of chronic illnesses like diabetes, which often require substantial lifestyle changes. Some studies suggest that there may be racial differences in the kinds of support people receive, though little research has examined this idea within a chronic illness context. The current research takes a qualitative approach to examining similarities and differences between Black and White individuals with type 2 diabetes in the dimensions of support received from their family members, with a particular focus on better understanding more intrusive forms of support, such as unsolicited and overprotective support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted (N = 32) to characterize differences in support received by Black and White individuals with type 2 diabetes. The results of the thematic analysis suggested that unsolicited and overprotective support were not universally perceived to be negative, as previous work on White populations seemed to suggest. Rather, if the support provided was perceived as inhibiting autonomy, it was generally undesired by participants from both racial groups-however, for Black participants, knowing that the support was provided out of love could make it more acceptable. The analysis also revealed several underexplored dimensions of received support, including the directiveness of support and the tone used to deliver support. The current study provides an initial step towards grounding social support theory in the experiences of marginalized populations and will inform further development of a culturally sensitive measure of social support for individuals with chronic illness.