Social Support and Social Network Mobilization in Older African American Women who Have Experienced Strokes

Abstract

Contemporary studies of social support have been criticized by disability studies scholars for portraying disabled women as passive recipients of care and support. This portrayal fails to recognize disabled women's strengths and contributions to their social networks. This qualitative study sought to gain a nuanced understanding of the processes of social support network mobilization used by a group of eight older African American women who recently had strokes. Research methods included in-depth thematic interviews and the construction of social network maps. Findings indicate the conventional categories of social support fail to capture the complexity of older disabled African American women's experiences. An alternative framework for understanding social support is presented that incorporates personal strengths and socio-political barriers.