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Parent and peer social support compensation and internalizing problems in adolescence
Kelly M Lyell1, Samantha Coyle2, Christine K Malecki1
1Northern Illinois University, 400 Psychology-Computer Science Building, Dekalb, IL 60115, United States of America.
Journal of School Psychology
|December 5, 2020
Summary
Social support from parents and peers benefits adolescents, with specific sources like mothers and fathers buffering against issues like low classmate support. These findings offer insights into adolescent mental well-being.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Adolescent Development
- Mental Health
Background:
- General benefits of social support are known, but unique contributions from specific sources (parents, peers) and their buffering effects on internalizing problems remain unclear.
- Understanding source-specific social support is crucial for targeted interventions in adolescent mental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate associations between social support from mothers, fathers, classmates, and close friends and internalizing problems in adolescents.
- Examine if social support from one source can buffer against internalizing problems when support from another source is lacking, considering gender differences.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 364 middle school students (61.3% female) using self-report questionnaires.
- Assessed social support and internalizing symptoms.
- Employed multiple group structural equation models to analyze data.
Main Results:
- Social support from all sources (mothers, fathers, classmates, close friends) showed general benefits for both adolescent boys and girls.
- Mother support compensated for low classmate support in both genders; father support compensated for low classmate support in boys.
- Classmate support compensated for low close friend support in boys.
Conclusions:
- Social support from various sources offers significant benefits for adolescent mental health.
- Specific buffering effects were observed, particularly mother support for classmate support and father/classmate support for boys.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering diverse social support networks and their interplay in addressing adolescent internalizing problems, with implications for school-based interventions.
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