Social support and mental health: the mediating role of perceived stress

Introduction

  • Social support is associated with improved mental health.

  • Study's aim: explore the mediating role of perceived stress between social support and mental health outcomes (positive affect, anxiety, depression).

  • Based on Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping theory, which highlights how social support influences the appraisal of stressful events.

Methodology

Participants

  • Sample size: 426 Filipino adults.

  • Mean age: 28.40 years (age range: 18-64).

  • Majority: females (74.2%), single (80.3%), living with families (88.5%).

  • Recruitment: online via referrals; informed consent obtained prior to participation.

Measures

  1. Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS):

    • Measures perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others.

    • 12 items, high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.88).

  2. Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10):

    • Assesses perceived COVID-19 stress levels; higher scores indicate greater stress.

    • Modified for COVID-19 context.

  3. Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS):

    • Assesses positive affect (10 items) with high internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.89).

  4. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21):

    • Measures anxiety and depression (not stress for this study).

    • Reliability shown (Cronbach alpha = 0.96).

Procedure

  • Cross-sectional online survey conducted between July 21 and August 5, 2021.

  • Ethical approval obtained prior to study; anonymity ensured.

Results

Descriptive Statistics

  • Social Support Levels: High from family (61.3%), moderate perceived stress (78.2%).

  • Mental Health Outcomes: Average positive affect score (36.45); significant anxiety (65%) and depression (49.7%).

Correlation Analysis

  • Social support is positively correlated with positive affect and negatively correlated with anxiety and depression.

  • Significant negative relationship between family support and perceived stress.

  • Friend support showed weaker correlations; no significant impact on perceived stress.

Mediation Effects

  • Family Support:

    • Negative impact on perceived stress, which then positively predicted positive affect and negatively predicted anxiety and depression.

  • Significant Other Support:

    • Similar pattern as family support regarding perceived stress mediation.

  • Friend Support:

    • No mediation effect on mental health outcomes.

Discussion

Social Support and Mental Health

  • Social support acts as a protective factor against mental health issues.

  • Family and significant other support are particularly beneficial.

  • Emotional support fosters well-being by providing reassurance and companionship.

Perceived Stress as a Mediator

  • Highlighted role of perceived stress in the relationship between social support and mental health outcomes.

  • Notably, perceived stress significantly mitigates the impact of social support on positive affect and reduces anxiety and depression symptoms.

  • Findings resonate with existing literature affirming the value of perceived social support in stress appraisal.

Clinical Implications

  • Integrative therapeutic strategies should incorporate enhanced social support to alleviate perceived stress and bolster mental health.

  • Social support networks, including family and significant others, should be actively engaged in therapeutic settings to optimize mental health interventions.

Limitations and Future Directions

  • Cross-sectional design limits causal interpretations; longitudinal studies recommended.

  • Potential common-method bias due to self-reported measures.

  • Further research should explore the specific dynamics of friend support in mental health, answering why it did not show a significant mediation effect in this study.