Social support in high-risk adolescents: structural components and adaptive impact

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Urban Studies

Background:

• Adolescents from high-stress, lower socioeconomic status (SES) inner-city backgrounds face unique challenges.
• Understanding social support structures is crucial for their adjustment and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify dimensions of perceived social support for this specific population.
• Examine how age, sex, and ethnicity influence the perceived helpfulness of support sources.
• Determine the relationship between social support, adolescent characteristics, and adjustment.

Main Methods:

• Factor analysis to identify distinct dimensions of social support.
• Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance (ANOVA) to assess group differences.
• Examination of correlations between support dimensions, personal characteristics, and adjustment indices.

Main Results:

• Three key dimensions of social support were identified: Family, Formal, and Informal Support.
• Significant differences were found in the perceived helpfulness of support sources based on adolescent age, sex, and ethnic background.
• Social support dimensions showed varying relationships with personal and academic adjustment.

Conclusions:

• The structure and perceived helpfulness of social support are multifaceted for urban, low-SES adolescents.
• Demographic factors significantly moderate the impact of social support on adjustment.
• Findings inform interventions aimed at enhancing social support for vulnerable adolescent populations.