{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T07:09:38Z","timestamp":1772521778820,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":75,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772496000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Our aim was to examine associations between determinants of functional ability as defined by the World Health Organization: intrinsic psychological domain captured by general self-efficacy and self-rated health, and social environment captured by support given and received. 286 Swiss-based older adults, recruited via multiple channels, completed a web-based survey. Older adults reported providing more support than they perceived receiving, particularly within informal networks of spouses\/partners, children, friends, and neighbors. They also reported high levels of general self-efficacy and good to very good self-rated health. Out of thirteen forms of support giving and receiving, only providing support to friends\/acquaintances and to fellow club\/association members correlated positively with general self-efficacy. Self-rated health showed negative associations with receiving support from various sources, but was unrelated to providing support. On the basis of these results, we propose new avenues for examining associations between social support, general self-efficacy, and self-rated health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1759995","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T06:48:19Z","timestamp":1772520499000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Forms of support giving and receiving, and their associations with self-rated health and general self-efficacy among older adults in Switzerland"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Shkumbin","family":"Gashi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern","place":["Bern, Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Heidi","family":"Kaspar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health Professions, Bern University of Applied Sciences","place":["Bern, Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Martin grosse","family":"Holtforth","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern","place":["Bern, Switzerland"]},{"name":"Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital","place":["Bern, Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1111\/psyg.12036","article-title":"The impact of giving support to others on older adults' perceived health status","volume":"14","author":"Abolfathi Momtaz","year":"2013","journal-title":"Psychogeriatrics"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.1007\/s11136-011-9931-6","article-title":"Determinants of social participation of visually impaired older adults","volume":"21","author":"Alma","year":"2012","journal-title":"Qual. Life Res."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/gnt118","article-title":"The convoy model: explaining social relations from a multidisciplinary perspective","volume":"54","author":"Antonucci","year":"2010","journal-title":"The Gerontologist"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.3384\/ijal.1652-8670.08315","article-title":"The interface between formal and informal support in advanced old age: a 10-year study","volume":"3","author":"Armi","year":"2008","journal-title":"Int. J. Ageing Later Life"},{"key":"ref6","first-page":"71","volume-title":"Encyclopedia of human behavior, vol. 4","author":"Bandura","year":"1994"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1007\/s10433-005-0032-7","article-title":"Self-rated health among older adults: a cross-national comparison","volume":"2","author":"Bardage","year":"2005","journal-title":"Eur. J. Ageing"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e011503","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2016-011503","article-title":"Sources of social support associated with health and quality of life: a cross-sectional study among Canadian and Latin American older adults","volume":"6","author":"B\u00e9langer","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"a025957","DOI":"10.1101\/cshperspect.a025957","article-title":"Past, present, and future of healthy life expectancy","volume":"5","author":"Beltr\u00e1n-S\u00e1nchez","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Med."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.2989\/16085906.2010.545618","article-title":"Clinics and home-based care organizations: an interface between the formal and informal health sectors","volume":"9","author":"Boros","year":"2010","journal-title":"African J. Aids Res."},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"510","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/57.6.P510","article-title":"Social participation in very old age: cross-sectional and longitudinal findings from BASE","volume":"57","author":"Bukov","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Gerontol. B."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbu033","article-title":"Grandparenting roles and volunteer activity","volume":"71","author":"Bulanda","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Gerontol. B."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"498","DOI":"10.3390\/bs12120498","article-title":"Determinants of self-rated health: the importance of physical well-being but also of mental health and cognitive functioning","volume":"12","author":"Caramenti","year":"2022","journal-title":"Behav. Sci. (Basel, Switzerland)"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.54.3.165","article-title":"Taking time seriously: a theory of socioemotional selectivity","volume":"54","author":"Carstensen","year":"1999","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.14302\/issn.2641-4538.jphi-18-2426","article-title":"The health of older people in Switzerland","volume":"1","author":"Chastonay","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Public Health Int."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1177\/0265407513488728","article-title":"Social support, social strain, loneliness, and well-being among older adults: an analysis of the health and retirement study","volume":"31","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Soc. Pers. Relat."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"408","DOI":"10.1111\/pere.12187","article-title":"Associations among relational values, support, health, and well-being across the adult lifespan","volume":"24","author":"Chopik","year":"2017","journal-title":"Pers. Relat."},{"key":"ref18","volume-title":"Statistical power analysis for the Behavioral sciences","author":"Cohen","year":"1988"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2747","DOI":"10.22605\/RRH2747","article-title":"Rural and remote dementia care challenges and needs: perspectives of formal and informal care providers residing in Saskatchewan, Canada","volume":"14","author":"Dal Bello-Haas","year":"2014","journal-title":"Rural Remote Health"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"577","DOI":"10.1037\/amp0000598","article-title":"Optimizing aging: a call for a new narrative","volume":"75","author":"Diehl","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1446246","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1446246","article-title":"Impact of informal social support on the mental health of older adults","volume":"12","author":"Dong","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Public Health"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1016\/j.copsyc.2014.11.001","article-title":"Thriving through relationships","volume":"1","author":"Feeney","year":"2015","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref23","author":"Fischer","year":""},{"key":"ref24","author":"Fischer","year":""},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1186\/s12875-020-01165-2","article-title":"Experiences of integrating community volunteers as extensions of the primary care team to help support older adults at home: a qualitative study","volume":"21","author":"Gaber","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Fam. Pract."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1577513","article-title":"Interrelationships among diverse forms of social participation and their associations with basic psychological needs among older adults in Switzerland","volume":"16","author":"Gashi","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref9001","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101192","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaging.2023.101192","article-title":"Personal benefits of older adults engaging in a participatory action research (PAR) project","volume":"67","author":"Gashi","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Aging Stud."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2647","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2019.02647","article-title":"Benefits of older volunteering on wellbeing: an international comparison","volume":"10","author":"Gil-Lacruz","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref28","author":"Grillenberger","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1280","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssresearch.2008.03.001","article-title":"Volunteer work, informal help, and care among the 50+ in Europe: further evidence for \u201clinked\u201d productive activities at older ages","volume":"37","author":"Hank","year":"2008","journal-title":"Soc. Sci. Res."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.25122\/jml-2019-0010","article-title":"The correlation of self-efficacy and social support with social participation: a cross-sectional study among the elderly","volume":"12","author":"Hosseingholizadeh","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Med. Life"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1006","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbw208","article-title":"Support grandparents give to their adult grandchildren","volume":"73","author":"Huo","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Gerontol. B Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"ref32","first-page":"86","article-title":"Understanding intergenerational dynamics and social support\u2019s impact on health and well-being of older adults in South Asia: a scoping review","volume-title":"Syst. Rev.","author":"Jahangir","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref34","volume-title":"Unterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr betreuende Angeh\u00f6rige in Einstiegs-, Krisen- und Notfallsituationen","author":"Kaspar","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref35","first-page":"223","volume-title":"Age Report V: Wohnen und Nachbarschaft im Alter","author":"Kaspar","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2020.03.004","article-title":"Volunteering and subsequent health and well-being in older adults: an outcome-wide longitudinal approach","volume":"59","author":"Kim","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am. J. Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/27.3.301","article-title":"Satisfaction with social support and self-rated health in older adults","volume":"27","author":"Krause","year":"1987","journal-title":"The Gerontologist"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-024-04915-4","article-title":"The effects of social support and self-efficacy on hopefulness in low-income older adults during COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"24","author":"Kwon","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Geriatr."},{"key":"ref39","author":"Lamprecht","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1741-6612.2009.00364.x","article-title":"Intergenerational support and subjective health of older people in rural China: a gender-based longitudinal study","volume":"28","author":"Li","year":"2009","journal-title":"Australas. J. Ageing"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/21582440241271208","article-title":"The reciprocity of intergenerational support and self-rated health among Chinese older adults","volume":"14","author":"Liu","year":"2024","journal-title":"SAGE Open"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1080\/00207590444000041","article-title":"General self-efficacy in various domains of human functioning: evidence from five countries","volume":"40","author":"Luszczynska","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int. J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"621","DOI":"10.1080\/08959420.2023.2226308","article-title":"The relationships between informal and formal social care for older people in England: a comparison before and after the care act 2014","volume":"36","author":"Lyu","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Aging Soc. Policy"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1528","DOI":"10.1177\/0898264320943759","article-title":"The reciprocal relationship between instrumental support from children and self-rated health among older adults over time in rural China","volume":"32","author":"Mao","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Aging Health"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1207\/S15324796ABM2501_01","article-title":"Exercise self-efficacy in older adults: social, effective, and behavioral influences","volume":"25","author":"McAuley","year":"2003","journal-title":"Ann. Behav. Med."},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1300\/J027v20n04_03","article-title":"The experience of empowerment in in-home services delivery","volume":"20","author":"McWilliam","year":"2001","journal-title":"Home Health Care Serv. Q."},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"843","DOI":"10.1017\/S0144686X10000061","article-title":"Wellbeing depends on social relationship characteristics: comparing different types and providers of support to older adults","volume":"30","author":"Merz","year":"2010","journal-title":"Ageing Soc."},{"key":"ref9002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2145","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2019.02145","article-title":"Exercise, mood, self-efficacy, and social support as predictors of depressive symptoms in older adults: direct and interaction effects","volume":"10","author":"Miller","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2294","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-16774-6","article-title":"Development of the self-efficacy for social participation scale (SOSA) for community-dwelling older adults","volume":"23","author":"Oe","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/23337214221097750","article-title":"Social support, general self-efficacy, fear of falling, and physical activity among older adults in a middle-income country","volume":"8","author":"Okoye","year":"2022","journal-title":"Gerontol. Geriatr. Med."},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"igaf025","DOI":"10.1093\/geroni\/igaf025","article-title":"Social network types and self-rated health among diverse older adults: stability, transitions, and implications for health equity","volume":"9","author":"Piedra","year":"2025","journal-title":"Innov. Aging"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.1027\/\/1015-5759.18.3.242","article-title":"Is general self-efficacy a universal construct?","volume":"18","author":"Scholz","year":"2002","journal-title":"Eur. J. Psychol. Assess."},{"key":"ref52","first-page":"264","volume-title":"Caring Societies \u2013 Sorgende Gesellschaften: Neue Abh\u00e4ngigkeiten oder mehr Gerechtigkeit?","author":"Sch\u00fcrch","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref53","first-page":"35","volume-title":"Measures in health psychology: A user\u2019s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs","author":"Schwarzer","year":"1995"},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.3389\/fsoc.2019.00046","article-title":"Help from and help to Neighbors among older adults in Europe","volume":"4","author":"Seifert","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front. Sociol."},{"key":"ref56","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref58","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref59","year":""},{"key":"ref60","year":""},{"key":"ref61","year":""},{"key":"ref62","year":""},{"key":"ref63","year":""},{"key":"ref64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbp113","article-title":"Is it better to give or to receive? Social support and the well-being of older adults","volume":"65","author":"Thomas","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Gerontol. B."},{"key":"ref65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1017\/S0144686X81000020","article-title":"The structured dependency of the elderly: a creation of social policy in the twentieth century","volume":"1","author":"Townsend","year":"1981","journal-title":"Ageing Soc."},{"key":"ref66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13030-016-0064-6","article-title":"Giving social support to outside family may be a desirable buffer against depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: Japan gerontological evaluation study","volume":"10","author":"Tsuboi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Biopsychosoc. Med."},{"key":"ref67","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"447","DOI":"10.1007\/s10433-021-00647-1","article-title":"Is ageing becoming more active? Exploring cohort-wise changes in everyday time use among the older population in Sweden","volume":"19","author":"Vilhelmson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur. J. Ageing"},{"key":"ref69","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1758-0854.2011.01050.x","article-title":"Sources of perceived self-efficacy as predictors of physical activity in older adults","volume":"3","author":"Warner","year":"2011","journal-title":"Appl. Psychol. Health Well Being"},{"key":"ref70","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1298","DOI":"10.1037\/hea0000085","article-title":"Sources of self-efficacy for physical activity","volume":"33","author":"Warner","year":"2014","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"key":"ref71","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1872","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2008.146894","article-title":"Social support and self-reported health status of older adults in the United States","volume":"99","author":"White","year":"2009","journal-title":"Am. J. Public Health"},{"key":"ref72","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e302","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/gnaa036","article-title":"The general self-efficacy of older adults receiving care: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"61","author":"Whitehall","year":"2021","journal-title":"The Gerontologist"},{"key":"ref73","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref74","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103934","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2019.103934","article-title":"Social support network, social support, self-efficacy, health-promoting behavior and healthy aging among older adults: a pathway analysis","volume":"85","author":"Wu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr."},{"key":"ref75","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.1080\/08959420.2023.2286162","article-title":"Social participation of older adults in rural and urban areas: a cross-sectional survey in Turkey","volume":"37","author":"Y\u0131lmaz","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Aging Soc. Policy"},{"key":"ref76","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e174501792112241","DOI":"10.2174\/17450179-v18-e2112241","article-title":"The influence of providing and receiving social support on older adults' well-being","volume":"18","author":"Zanjari","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin. Pract. Epidemiol. Ment. Health"},{"key":"ref77","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1090","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/30.5.1090","article-title":"Support from children, living arrangements, self-rated health and depressive symptoms of older people in Spain","volume":"30","author":"Zunzunegui","year":"2001","journal-title":"Int. J. Epidemiol."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1759995\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T06:48:21Z","timestamp":1772520501000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1759995\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]]},"references-count":75,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1759995"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1759995","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]]},"article-number":"1759995"}}