1. Gender Differences and Stress Resilience
Neal Krause
University of Michigan
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

2. Major Themes
Is it more important to give social support than to receive social support?
Do men benefit more from giving social support than women?
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

3. Theoretical Tasks
Religious institutions as important social settings for providing social support
The process of providing support in religious institutions
How men might benefit more than women when they support others in religious institutions
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

4. Why Supporting Others in Religious Institutions is Important
Complying with the basic tenets of religion bolsters self-esteem
Providing support to others gives support providers a respite from their own problems
Helping others makes support providers more cognizant of the things that are important in their lives
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

5. Two Studies on Providing Support to Others and Mortality
Brown, S. L., Nesse, R.M., Vinokur, A.D., & Smith, D. M. (2003). Providing social support may be more beneficial than receiving it: Results from a prospective study of mortality. Psychological Science, 14,
Krause, N. (2006). Church-based social support and mortality. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 57B, S332-S347.
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

6. How Religious Institutions May Help Men Give Social Support
Religious institutions put an emphasis on helping others
Religious institutions provide structured settings that make helping others easier.
Bible study groups, prayer groups, formal volunteer work
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

7. Study Data and Measures
Landmark Spirituality and Health Survey (2015)
All adults age 18 and older
N = 3,010
Took blood samples
Outcome: “bad” cholesterol
Stress measure: ongoing financial strain
Social support measure: emotional support received from and provided to fellow church members
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

8. Main Study Findings
Women give and receive more social support than men.
Helping others offsets the effects of financial strain on cholesterol, but only among men and not among women.
Receiving social support does not buffer the effects of economic problems on cholesterol for either men or women.
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

9. Additional Data Analyses
Men do not appear to benefit from providing social support to others outside of religious institutions
There are no age differences in the data
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019

10. Take Home Messages
Giving social support may be more important than receiving social support
When studying gender differences in the stress process, don’t forget men and the special issues they face
Neal Krause, "Sex and Gender Differences in Aging" June 6-7, 2019