Social support, need for support, and anxiety among women graduate students

This study examined the role of social support and need for support on anxiety among 61 women, graduate students, by administering the Jackson Personality Inventory, the Personality Research Form, and the Social Support Network Inventory. One-way analysis of variance showed a significant effect for source of support on support received. Friends were cited most frequently and graduate advisers the least. Two-way analyses of variance showed significant main effects of need for support and support from adviser on anxiety scores. High scores on anxiety were a function of high need for support and, separately, of low social support. Results are discussed in terms of the need for longitudinal studies of the relationships between these variables to consider implications for adult development.