Developmental Change of Perceived Availability of Social Support

A lot of studies have been achieved on the effects of social support on psychological stress or psychological well-being. Few of them, however, have focused their attention on the interactive influences by various support resources. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of developmental change of perceived availability of social support from parents, friends (boys and girls were separated) and teachers on psychological stress responses in junior high school students, high school students and undergraduate students. Subjects were requested to complete the perceived social support scale and the psychological stress response scale. Cluster analysis (Q-mode) on score pattern of five support resources divided children and adolescents into four clusters regardless of their developmental stage or sex as follows : (i) high scores on all support resources, (ii) low scores on all support resources, (iii) relatively higher scores on parents than the others, and (iv) relatively higher scores on friends than the others. One factor analyses of variance were used to examine the relationship between the pattern of social support resources and psychological stress responses. The results revealed a negative correlation between perceived availability of social support and psychological stress responses. Furthermore, it was suggested that perceived availability of social support from parents was important to reduce stress responses in junior high and high school students. On the other hand, perceived availability from friends was effective to alleviate stress responses in undergraduate students. The results have highlighted the importance of consideration on balance of social support resources according to developmental stage from a viewpoint of clinical psychology