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A Meta-Analytic Review of the Association Between Perceived Social Support and Depression in Childhood and Adolescence

DOI:10.1037/bul0000058
Authors:
Sandra Yu Rueger at Wheaton College Illinois
Sandra Yu Rueger
Christine Malecki at Northern Illinois University
Christine Malecki
Yoonsun Pyun at Northern Illinois University
Yoonsun Pyun
Chase Aycock at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgery Center
Chase Aycock
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This meta-analysis evaluated the relation between social support and depression in youth and compared the cumulative evidence for 2 theories that have been proposed to explain this association: the general benefits (GB; also known as main effects) and stress-buffering (SB) models. The study included 341 articles (19% unpublished) gathered through a search in PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, ERIC, and ProQuest, and a hand search of 11 relevant journals. Using a random effects model, the overall effect size based on = 341 studies and = 273,149 participants was = .26 (95% CI [.24, .28]), with robust support for the GB model and support for the SB model among medically ill youth. Stress-buffering analyses suggest that different stressful contexts may not allow youth to fully draw on the benefits of social support, and we propose value in seeking to better understand both stress-buffering (effects of social support are enhanced) and reverse stress-buffering (effects of social support are dampened) processes. Key findings regarding other moderators include a different pattern of effect sizes across various sources of support. In addition, gender differences were largely absent from this study, suggesting that social support may be a more critical resource for boys than is typically acknowledged. Results also demonstrated the importance of using instruments with adequate psychometric support, with careful consideration of methodological and conceptual issues. Building upon these collective findings, we provide recommendations for theory and practice, as well as recommendations for addressing limitations in the extant literature to guide future investigations. (PsycINFO Database Record
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... These findings were replicated in a longitudinal study conducted by Arango et al. [23], wherein family and school connectedness were evaluated using a Bayesian mixed model approach and found to be negatively associated with future depression and suicidal ideation [23]. Additionally, two meta-analyses were identified investigating the association of social support [24] and friendship experiences [19] with depression, with the latter concept often used by scholars as a proxy for "friendship quality", which encapsulates social support as one of its essential components. In their meta-analysis, Schwartz-Mette et al. [19] found relatively small but significant concurrent and longitudinal associations between youths' friendship experiences (i.e., number of friends, positive friendship quality, negative friendship quality) and their emotional adjustment including both depressive symptoms and loneliness. ...
... Indeed, previous studies have established loneliness as a mediator of the association between friendship problems and depressive symptoms [25,26]. Rueger et al. [24] aimed to evaluate the relationship between social support and depression in youth and compare the evidence for two prevalent theories that have been proposed to explain this association: the main effects model and stress-buffering model [14,24]. The stress-buffering model posits that social connectedness and support contribute to positive mental health by enhancing coping ability during times of stress. ...
... Indeed, previous studies have established loneliness as a mediator of the association between friendship problems and depressive symptoms [25,26]. Rueger et al. [24] aimed to evaluate the relationship between social support and depression in youth and compare the evidence for two prevalent theories that have been proposed to explain this association: the main effects model and stress-buffering model [14,24]. The stress-buffering model posits that social connectedness and support contribute to positive mental health by enhancing coping ability during times of stress. ...
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Childhood depression is associated with significant social and functional impairment, suicide risk, and persistence throughout adulthood. Recent evidence demonstrates that social connectedness and social support may serve as protective factors against the development of depression. The current study aimed to examine the effect of change in social connectedness and social support on depressive symptoms among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hierarchical regression was performed. Results indicated that parent-reported measures of change in social connectedness were inversely associated with depressive symptom severity, and could significantly predict future depressive symptom severity. In contrast, parent-reported measures of social support (i.e., from family and friends) did not significantly predict future depressive symptom severity. The presence of a pre-COVID psychiatric and/or neurodevelopmental diagnosis and baseline depressive symptom severity were also important factors associated with future depressive symptom severity. The findings suggest that an awareness of the presence of social supports (i.e., family or friends) is not sufficient for children to feel connected, but rather the mechanisms of social relationships are crucial. As our approach to public health restrictions evolves, the risk transmission of COVID-19 should be carefully balanced with the risks associated with decreased connectedness among youth.
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... Furthermore, perceived social support significantly moderates the relationship between parental phubbing and adolescents' depression, which is weaker for adolescents with high perceived social support . A meta-analysis has indicated that perceived social support alleviates the adverse effects of stress on depressed adolescents (Rueger et al., 2016). Therefore, we expect that perceived social support can alleviate the negative effect of parental phubbing on adolescents' self-esteem and overall satisfaction with life. ...
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... For example, Lu and Gong found that meaning in life buffered the impact of loneliness on smartphone addiction among a group of 408 Chinese university students [36]. Second, the "attenuation model" proposes that protective factors are not sufficient to cushion the negative impact of risk factors, and risk factors weaken their protective effect, the protective effect of protective factors will be stronger than when the risk factors are higher [37]. For example, researchers have found that for individuals with high meaning in life, the negative predictive effect of emotional neglect on problematic network use is more significant than that for individuals with low meaning in life [38]. ...
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