Experimental paradigm to test the effects of providing social support: study protocol of the PROSPECT trial (Study 2).

Abstract

Background: A growing body of research suggests that the provision of social support can have benefits not only for the recipients but also for the provider. Although initial evidence for affective, self-evaluative and physiological outcomes has been established, the beneficial effects of support provision do not occur consistently across all support interactions, and some interactions may even have detrimental effects on providers. The aim of our experimental paradigm is to enable researchers to test the conditions under which the provision of social support to dyadic partners affects affective, self-evaluative, physiological, and relationship outcomes for the provider. In line with self-determination theory, it is proposed that the provision of support is only beneficial to the provider if it satisfies the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. The paradigm allows for the manipulation of the provider's levels of competence (feedback on the effectiveness of their support to the other person) and relatedness (feedback on the alleged level of relatedness perceived by the partner person following the provision of support).

Methods: A priori power analyses resulted in a planned sample size of 250 participants randomized to four conditions: 1) no support provision, 2) support provision without feedback, 3) support provision with feedback on competence, 4) support provision with feedback on relatedness. Primary outcomes are immediate physiological (saliva cortisol, heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure), affective (positive and negative affect, anxiety), self-evaluative (e.g., self-esteem) and relationship outcomes. Generalized linear models will be used to compare the four conditions.

Discussion: In a controlled laboratory experiment, this new experimental paradigm manipulates the conditions under which social support is provided. Insights into the conditions under which the provision of social support is detrimental or beneficial to the provider can inform the development of preventive and interventional approaches across a range of life domains, motivational and developmental research across the lifespan (e.g. prevention of care-giver burnout), and applied clinical contexts (e.g. therapeutic interventions).

Trial registration: Pre-registration (2023-11-10): https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8SPZW , retrospective registration with more details (2024-10-23): https://www.drks.de/DRKS00034287.