Attempts to identify elements of support as mediating social tie effects on youth behavior have generally focused on parents. Closeness with parents is a consistent predictor of healthy behavior among adolescents (Ackard et al. 2006, Resnick et al. 1997). Whereas parents are key sources of social support for adolescents, the transition to adulthood is accompanied by an increasing reliance on close ties with intimate partners for support. In fact, for those who marry, especially men, a spouse is one’s most likely source of emotional support (Waite & Gallagher 2000). Spousal support is associated with a reduction in overall health risk behavior for men (Waite & Gallagher 2000). Beyond specific relationships, support from one’s global social network has been associated with better health outcomes, in part through health behavior (Berkman et al. 2000, Cohen et al. 2004). Recent work particularly emphasizes the importance of social support for health habits in elderly and widowed populations (Wilcox et al. 2003).
