This book collates and analyzes the information currently available on social support as it impacts on mental health. The international team of contributors covers a whole range of perspectives on mental illness, from biological mechanisms to psychological and social theory. The book begins with an overview of the latest published evidence and a description of the nature and origins of social support, which is followed by evidence from observational studies and specific interventions and trials. The text concludes with a summary that will act as a valuable resource to practitioners in their...