Read the text and answer the following questions
A person P stays stressed all the time. Whenever P is asked how is he doing? his most common response is either showing worry on ‘what am I going to do’, ‘this isn’t happening to me’ or just saying ‘let it be, let us go out for dinner’. His friends and family are really concerned because he is not able to do the activities like he wanted to and even misses out deadlines at workplace very frequently. His friends and family supported him throughout and helped him seek professional help. The therapist helped him in deciding his priorities, and dealing directly with stressful situation. In addition to this, he was also taught strategies to relax through deep breathing and muscle relaxation, and practice creative visualization. After 10 sessions, finally he has learnt how to manage stress better, he is able to complete the task on deadlines, his health and social life has also improved. He has moved out of the city with his wife and his newborn child. This time he is much happier and stress free.
For the person P, his friends and family were very concerned and supported him throughout by constantly reassuring him that he is loved, valued and cared for. The kind of support he was provided is considered as:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Emotional support
Option (1) Informational support — Incorrect. It means giving information about the stressful event, as a friend who has faced a board examination tells a student what the procedure is and which coping strategies work.
Option (2) Tangible support — Incorrect. It is material aid such as money, goods or services, as when a child gives notes to a friend who missed school because of sickness.
Option (3) Emotional support — Correct. During stress one may feel sad, anxious and lose self-esteem. Supportive friends and family give emotional support by reassuring the individual that she or he is loved, valued and cared for, the very words of the question.
Option (4) Spiritual support — Incorrect. It is not one of the forms of social support (tangible, informational, emotional). P’s family reassured him of their love, which is emotional support.
NCERT (2025-26): “Social Support : … Social support may be in the form of tangible support or assistance involving material aid, such as money, goods, services, etc. For example, a child gives notes to her/his friend, since s/he was absent from school due to sickness. Family and friends also provide informational support about stressful events. For example, a student facing a stressful event such as a difficult board examination, if provided information by a friend who has faced a similar one, would not only be able to identify the exact procedures involved, but also it would facilitate in determining what resources and coping strategies could be useful to successfully pass the examination. During times of stress, one may experience sadness, anxiety, and loss of self-esteem. Supportive friends and family provide emotional support by reassuring the individual that she/he is loved, valued, and cared for.…” |