Does social support explain the link between attachment and adolescent wellbeing?

Collins, Gene (2011). Does social support explain the link between attachment and adolescent wellbeing? Honours Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland.

       
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Author Collins, Gene
Thesis Title Does social support explain the link between attachment and adolescent wellbeing?
School, Centre or Institute School of Psychology
Institution The University of Queensland
Publication date 2011-10-12
Thesis type Honours Thesis
Supervisor Associate Professor Ken Pakenham
Total pages 103
Language eng
Subjects 1701 Psychology
Abstract/Summary The present study examined the inter-relatedness of attachment and social support and their roles in shaping adolescent wellbeing. The principal aim was to test the Sarason et al. (1990) model which proposes that social support mediates relations between attachment and youth wellbeing. A broader conceptualization of adolescent wellbeing was used that included a range of positive and negative indicators (social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties, prosocial behaviour, positive affect, and life satisfaction). Questionnaires were completed between 2008 and 2011 by 2,474 youth throughout Queensland. Unlike similar previous cross-sectional studies in the field, children of a parent with a serious illness, a likely confound, were identified and excluded from analyses. The final sample (n = 1,864) were adolescents aged between 10 and 18 years (M = 12.63). The meditational model was tested in accord with Baron and Kenny’s(1986) criteria for establishing mediation, using a more conservative alpha level of p < .01 in the analyses throughout. Results showed that higher attachment security was associated with higher levels of social support satisfaction and higher attachment and social support satisfaction were related to better adolescent wellbeing as predicted. In support of the Sarason et al model, social support satisfaction partially mediated between attachment and all wellbeing variables, namely fewer difficulties, and higher prosocial behaviour, positive affect, and life satisfaction, even after controlling for a wide range of demographic covariates including single versus dual parent household, gender, age and SES. The findings are discussed in terms of the theoretical perspective and prior research. Other findings of interest, practice implications and recommended future research directions are briefly discussed.
Keyword Social Support
Adolescent wellbeing

 
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