Social support, social dysfunction and stressful life events in neurotic patients.

The relationship between social support, stressful life events and psychosocial dysfunction was studied in 197 neurotic patients comprising 65 patients of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, 81 of Dysthymia and 51 of Dissoiative (conversion) Disorders. It was seen that Dysthymics perceived themselves to have significantly less social support in comparison to Generalized Anxiety or Dissociative Disorders patients. Significant correlations between social support and life events and social support and dysfunction were also obtained and it was observed that lack of social support is negatively correlated with greater life stresses and dysfuction.