Do support systems prevent psychiatric disorders?

"Support" is a concept which is widely used by clinicians and laymen. What it consists of, though, is quite unclear. The proposition is examined, that just as certain components of the psychosocial environment are noxious, so other parts may cushion or protect the individual against adversity. Such an hypothesis would go some way towards understanding the sex distribution of neurosis, the active ingredient in Caplan's "psychosocial supplies", the presence for most adults of a principal attachment figure, the cohesion of the social network and the affectional function of the medical consultation. The development of this concept provides a new dimension for research in social psychiatry.