2011 The Palm Beach County Family Study (Full Report)

Informal and Community SupportAn underlying assumption of the service system in Palm Beach County is that if families have stronginformal and community supports and access to prevention and early intervention services, they will beless likely to need more intensive intervention services. Indeed, an extensive body of research documentsthe benefits of informal and community supports (e.g., Balaji et al., 2007; Martinez-Schallmoser,MacMullen, & Telleen, 2003; Uno, Florsheim, & Uchino, 1998). Healthier prenatal practices, fewer birthcomplications, and lower incidence of postpartum depression—all associated with enhanced maternalfunctioning and child development outcomes—characterize mothers with strong social support networks.Thus, an important topic of the interview study is the availability and use of various informal andcommunity supports by families in the TGAs. In this section, we focus on the range and quality of socialsupports—including emotional, instrumental, and informational types of support—from family, friends,neighbors, and other community members over the first 5 years of the study.Informal Support from Family and FriendsHusband/Partner SupportMothers who were either married or in a relationship with someone they considered a partner—74 percentof the mothers in the year 5 sample—were asked about the types of support they receive from theirhusbands/partners. As shown in Table 46, virtually all of the mothers reported talking with their partnersabout problems or personal issues; receiving help with money, food, or clothing; and receiving help withdisciplining children in year 5. About 9 in 10 or more of mothers also reported receiving help withshopping, with repairs around the house, and with advice regarding children or household problems.However, only about a quarter of mothers reported receiving help in “other” areas, such as help withchildcare and transportation to school and doctor’s appointments.Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago 75