Table 5 Summary of findings on anxiety disorders

Jakubovski and Bloch (2016) [64]

Perceived social support

Remission;

Response (a reduction of at least 40% symptoms at 6 months)

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++

Generalised anxiety disorder: Greater amount of social support predicted a higher rate of remission (OR = 1.38, 95% CI Wald 1.09–1.75, p = 0.0067) and a greater rate of response (OR = 1.33, 95% CI Wald 1.10–1.62, p = 0.0040) at 6-month follow-up. Social anxiety disorder: Greater amount of social support predicted a higher rate of remission (OR = 1.716, 95% CI Wald 1.028–2.867, p = 0.0391) at 6-month follow-up, but social support did not predict response. Social support did not predict remission or response for panic disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder

Shrestha et al. (2015) [65]

Perceived social support

Quality of life

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Main effect of social support was significant such that those with higher baseline social support reported higher average quality of life over time (b (SE) = 0.41 (0.08), p < 0.001)

Dour et al. (2014) [33]

Perceived social support

Anxiety symptoms;

Depressive symptoms

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++

Direct effects: Relations between perceived social support and depression were bidirectional at all follow-ups, whereas they were unidirectional between perceived social support and anxiety at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Indirect effects: Intervention led to changes in 6- and/or 12-month perceived social support, that in turn led to subsequent changes in 18-month depression (b = − 0.16, CI [− 0.28, − 0.08], Ratios 10.51%) and anxiety (b = − 0.15, CI [− 0.30, − 0.06], Ratios 8.85%)