THE RELATIONSIDP BETWEEN PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPOTMS OF STRESS IN A GROUP OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

In the stress literature, there is a great deal of attention on the way individuals cope with stressful situations. There is evidence that social support is an important coping resource in promoting mental health and preventing psychological distress. In this study, specific types of social support that are associated with psychological symptoms of stress were investigated using a sample of 301 university students (184 ınales and 117 females) with a mean age of 27.3. Data were collected through the use of three instruments: the Perception of Seeking Social Support Inventory (PSSSI) was administered to students to obtain information about need for sources and satisfaction with social support. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to measure their level of depression, and the Langner Symptom Survey (LSS) was used to measure their health status. Pearson product-moment correlations were computed between the PSSSI, BDI and LSS and relevant demographic variables to examine possible relationships. Statistical analyses of the <lata show that the types and sources of social support are signifıcantly related to the psychological symptoms of stress. The results of the study suggest university students' need to maximize the availability of helpful types of social support in their environment.

Keywords: Stress, social support, university student

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