Sinan Virani
Module 3 Assignment
Instructions:
1. Read Ch. 13 in your textbook and view the lecture of “Building Relationship Skills
and Support Networks” in Module 3 before completing this assignment.
2. Complete all of the questions in the worksheet based on the readings, the lectures,
and your experiences.
3. This assignment will be due at the end of Module 3.
Sinan Virani
Worksheet
A. Support system
1. Briefly describe your support system. To whom do you turn for support? What kind of
support do they provide (instrumental / informational / emotional / appraisal support)?
My support system consists of my family, close friends, and a mentor. I turn to my family for
emotional support, especially during difficult times. My friends provide both emotional and
instrumental support, such as helping with tasks or offering encouragement. My mentor
provides informational and appraisal support, helping me navigate challenges and offering
constructive feedback.
2. How satisfied are you with your support system? Explain.
I am mostly satisfied with my support system because I have people I trust and who
genuinely care about my well-being. However, there are moments when I feel hesitant to
burden others with my problems, which sometimes makes me handle stress alone. I am
working on being more open to receiving support when needed.
B. Social support and stress
1. Provide a brief summary of a time when you needed supportive relationships to help
you deal with something stressful.
During a particularly stressful academic semester, I was overwhelmed with assignments,
exams, and personal responsibilities. I felt anxious and uncertain about how to manage
everything.
2. Describe the type(s) of support you received with that situation and explain how the
support affected your stress level (even if the effect was not a reduction in stress).
I received emotional support from my family, who reassured me that I was capable of
handling the pressure. My friends provided instrumental support by helping me study and
offering practical solutions. My mentor provided informational and appraisal support by
giving me guidance on prioritizing tasks. This support helped reduce my stress by giving me
perspective and tangible strategies to manage my workload.
3. What did you learn about yourself and others, and your relationships during that time?
I learned that seeking support does not mean weakness; rather, it is an important part of
resilience. I also realized that my friends and family genuinely want to help, and I should
allow myself to lean on them when needed. Strong relationships are built through mutual
support.
C. Communication skills
1. Do you tend to be more of an empathic listener or an autobiographical listener? How do
you rate yourself in terms of your listening skills on a scale of 0-10, with 0 =
Sinan Virani
autobiographical listening all the time, and 10 = empathic listening all the time.
Provide your rating and some explanations for your rating. You may refer to the
textbook about empathic listeners or autobiographical listeners’ way of communication.
I believe I am a 7/10 on the scale. I generally try to listen with empathy and focus on
understanding the other person’s emotions and perspective. However, there are times
when I unintentionally respond from my own experiences instead of fully focusing on the
speaker’s needs. I am working on improving my active listening skills.
2. Ask someone who knows you well to rate you honestly and ask for explanations for the
rating. Is it similar or different from your self-rating? What do you make of the similarity or
difference in the ratings?
A close friend rated me 6/10, which is slightly lower than my own rating. They mentioned
that while I am a good listener, I sometimes jump in with advice instead of just listening.
This feedback made me realize that being a good listener is not just about responding but
also about providing a space for the speaker to feel heard.
Now, write a 50 word or more reaction to this assignment. You could write about
what was your experience like completing the worksheet, what challenges did you
have, or what are things you found helpful. Quality of reaction will be evaluated.
Completing this worksheet helped me reflect on my support system and how I interact with
others. It made me realize the value of strong relationships and the importance of listening
skills. The most challenging part was assessing my listening style because it required
honest self-reflection. However, receiving feedback from someone else was helpful in
identifying areas for improvement.