Volume 23, Issue 2 p. 283-289

Brief Report

Stress, Social Support, and Depression: A Test of the Stress-Buffering Hypothesis in a Mexican Sample

Marcela Raffaelli,

Corresponding Author

Marcela Raffaelli

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Requests for reprints should be sent to Marcela Raffaelli, Department of Human and Community Development, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 904 West Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author

Flavia C. D. Andrade,

Flavia C. D. Andrade

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Angela R. Wiley,

Angela R. Wiley

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Omar Sanchez-Armass,

Omar Sanchez-Armass

Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí

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Laura L. Edwards,

Laura L. Edwards

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Celia Aradillas-Garcia,

Celia Aradillas-Garcia

Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí

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Marcela Raffaelli,

Corresponding Author

Marcela Raffaelli

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Flavia C. D. Andrade,

Flavia C. D. Andrade

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Angela R. Wiley,

Angela R. Wiley

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Omar Sanchez-Armass,

Omar Sanchez-Armass

Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí

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Laura L. Edwards,

Laura L. Edwards

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Celia Aradillas-Garcia,

Celia Aradillas-Garcia

Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí

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First published: 29 November 2012

https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12006

Citations: 114

The authors are part of the Up Amigos Study Group, which includes members from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (F. C. D. Andrade, M. Raffaelli, M. Teran-Garcia, A. Wiley), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (C. Aradillas-García, O. Sanchez-Armass, E. Medina-Cerda, J. M. Vargas-Morales, E. De la Cruz-Mendoza, C. Rojas, D. P. Portales-Pérez., S. Rosales-Mendoza), and IMSS Durango (F. Guerrero-Romero, M. Rodríguez-Morán, L. E. Simental-Mendia). Funding was provided by the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Hormones Laboratory at the School of Medicine, Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory at the Chemical Sciences School and the University Health Center under agreement support C09-PIFI-030606 (to C. Aradillas-García); the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Research Board grant 09070 and Center on Health, Aging, and Disability (to Andrade); the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch Projects #600108-793000-793323 (to Raffaelli) and #ILLU-793-321-0205791 (to Wiley); and the Family Resilience Center, University of Illinois (to Wiley).

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Abstract

This study examined social support as a potential moderator between stress and depressive symptoms among Mexican university applicants aged 16–21 years (N = 6,715; M age = 17.9 years; 55% female). In bivariate analyses, perceived stress was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, and social support with lower levels of both stress and depression. Moderation analyses conducted using hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that global social support reduced the association between stress and depression. Analyses examining support from different sources (family, friends, and significant other) indicated that family support played a unique role in buffering the negative effects of stress. Findings are consistent with the stress-buffering hypothesis and confirm the importance of the family as Mexican youth enter late adolescence.

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Volume23, Issue2

Special Issue:SPECIAL SECTION: PRESIDENTIAL AND KEYNOTE ADDRESSES FROM THE 2012 SRA CONFERENCE

June 2013

Pages 283-289

Stress, Social Support, and Depression: A Test of the Stress-Buffering Hypothesis in a Mexican Sample

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Stress, Social Support, and Depression: A Test of the Stress-Buffering Hypothesis in a Mexican Sample

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