C. Schetsche, L. Jaume, L. Gago-Galvagno, A. Elgier
{"title":"Social support and its associations with Depression and Anxiety: an in-depth Analysis using Structural Equation Modeling","authors":"C. Schetsche, L. Jaume, L. Gago-Galvagno, A. Elgier","doi":"10.13129/2282-1619/MJCP-3017","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Although social support has been shown to have numerous positive effects on mental health, some studies found negative associations with certain internalizing symptoms. Because the origins of these associations are uncertain, the objective of the present study included the in-depth analysis of five dimensions of social support (i.e., social support seeking as a coping strategy, availability of emotional support, emotional support received, perceived comprehension, and need for support) and their associations with depressive and anxious symptoms. The sample (n = 822) was collected through Internet and a Full Latent Variables Model was developed in which the two symptoms were used as dependent variables. Subsequently, regression analyses were conducted to evaluate how the social support dimensions are influenced by depression and anxiety. The results evidenced that availability of emotional support, perceived comprehension, and need for support had direct effects on symptoms, and emotional support received and social support seeking indirect effects. Need for support was found to be the only dimension of social support that increased symptoms, and perceived comprehension was the only dimension of social support that reduced the need for support. Anxiety and depression exhibited different effects on social support: while depression reduced social support, anxiety increased it. It was concluded that anxiety can operate, under certain circumstances, as a protective mechanism against the negative effects of depression.","PeriodicalId":18428,"journal":{"name":"Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2021-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.13129/2282-1619/MJCP-3017","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
Although social support has been shown to have numerous positive effects on mental health, some studies found negative associations with certain internalizing symptoms. Because the origins of these associations are uncertain, the objective of the present study included the in-depth analysis of five dimensions of social support (i.e., social support seeking as a coping strategy, availability of emotional support, emotional support received, perceived comprehension, and need for support) and their associations with depressive and anxious symptoms. The sample (n = 822) was collected through Internet and a Full Latent Variables Model was developed in which the two symptoms were used as dependent variables. Subsequently, regression analyses were conducted to evaluate how the social support dimensions are influenced by depression and anxiety. The results evidenced that availability of emotional support, perceived comprehension, and need for support had direct effects on symptoms, and emotional support received and social support seeking indirect effects. Need for support was found to be the only dimension of social support that increased symptoms, and perceived comprehension was the only dimension of social support that reduced the need for support. Anxiety and depression exhibited different effects on social support: while depression reduced social support, anxiety increased it. It was concluded that anxiety can operate, under certain circumstances, as a protective mechanism against the negative effects of depression.
期刊介绍:
The MJCP is an Open Access Peer-Reviewed International Journal in Clinical Psychology. MJCP accepts research related to innovative and important areas of clinical research: 1. Clinical studies related to Clinical Psychology, 2. Psychopathology and Psychotherapy; 3. Basic studies pertaining to clinical psychology field as experimental psychology, psychoneuroendocrinology and psychoanalysis; 4. Growing application of clinical techniques in clinical psychology, psychology of health, clinical approaches in projective methods; 5. Forensic psychology in clinical research; 6. Psychology of art and religion; 7. Advanced in basic and clinical research methodology including qualitative and quantitative research and new research findings.