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The impact of social support and overprotection on dialysis patients’ labour participation, autonomy and self-esteem.

Jansen, D., Rijken, M. The impact of social support and overprotection on dialysis patients’ labour participation, autonomy and self-esteem. Psychology & Health: 2009, 24(suppl. 1), p. 217. Abstract. 23rd European Health Psychology Society (EHPS) Conference 'From Knowledge to Interventions', Pisa, 23-26 september 2009.
This study investigated whether perceived social support from significant others and overprotection by significant others and doctors is related to employment, perceived autonomy, and self-esteem in end-stage renal disease patients on dialysis. 166 dialysis patients completed questionnaires at home or in the dialysis centre. Data were analysed using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Perceived overprotection and lack of social support were correlated with low levels of autonomy and self-esteem. Moreover, perceived overprotection by doctors was associated with unemployment. Regression results showed that the overprotection and lack of support variables explained a substantial amount of variance in autonomy (12%) and self-esteem (15%), controlled for socio-demographic and clinical variables. Results point to the importance of autonomy supportive contexts in improving dialysis patients’ sense of autonomy, self-esteem and labour participation. Context focused care is recommended to educate patients and significant others in how to ask for/offer support in an adequate way.