Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Relational Context Of Social Support In Young Adults: Links With Stress And Well-Being, Chih-Yuan Lee, Sara Goldstein, Bryan J. Dik

Department of Family Science and Human Development Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examined the roles of relationship-specific social support and gender in the associations between perceived stress and well-being. Three sources of support (family, friends, and romantic partners) and three well-being indicators (loneliness, depressive symptoms, and physical health) were assessed in 628 young adults attending college (Mage = 19.72; range of 18–24). Stress directly predicted all well-being indicators, and indirectly predicted well-being through social support in relationship-specific ways. Family support mediated the relationship between stress and physical health, friend support mediated the association between stress and loneliness, and romantic partner support mediated the relationships of stress with both loneliness and …