Effective themes in social support from the perspective of psychotherapists: developing a model based on a qualitative approach to research

Social support is one of the studied variables in psychological and social sciences. Social support promotes the mental health and well-being of individuals by influencing various individual and social areas and helps the individual to face problems. This study was about identifying the themes affecting social support from the perspective of psychotherapists. This research is considered as a qualitative research in terms of applied purpose and method. The research sample consisted of 18 psychologists and therapists who were working in Qom province in 1400. Sampling was done purposefully. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather information. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation and no new findings were found. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the interviews. The results showed that the factors at the therapist level (skill elements), at the school level (educational elements), at the community level (social-legal elements), at the family level (interactive elements) at the parents level ( Interpersonal-subsistence elements), at the individual level (personality elements) were the themes affecting social support from the perspective of psychotherapists. Social support from different dimensions and angles of human life can be analyzed and evaluated and the need to pay attention to this component from the perspective of experts and thinkers in various fields related to human beings is essential.