Psychological Development and Education ›› 2021, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (2): 288-297.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2021.02.16

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Depression in Adolescent: A Perspective Based on Social Support

QIU Yiwen1,2, LOU Yixue1,2, LEI Yi1   

  1. 1. Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066;
    2. School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060
  • Published:2021-03-23

RichHTML

PDF (PC)

Abstract: The social factors of adolescents suffering from depression are deeply studied by researchers, especially the social support. In this study, the first session focused on the mechanism of the influence of social support on depression in adolescent, which included main effect mechanism and social-buffering mechanism. Secondly, the influential factors between the social support and adolescent depression were summarized, mainly involving factors related to social support provider、social support recipient and measurement method. Specifically, gender,quantity and social status were discussed in factors of social support providers. Gender,age,intrapersonal characteristics,personality and genetics were involving when talking about factors of social support recipient. And the method part included the measurement of social support and depression. Finally, future investigations should focus more on the diverse methods of measuring social support, digging into the meta-analysis, longitude analysis and online social support, and consequently put the theories into intervention of depressed adolescents.

Key words: adolescent, depression, social support, mechanism, influential factors

CLC Number: 

  • B844
Ai, H., & Hu, J. (2016). Psychological resilience moderates the impact of social support on loneliness of "left-behind" children. Journal of Health Psychology, 21(6), 1066-1073.
Auerbach, R. P., Bigda-Peyton, J. S., Eberhart, N. K., Webb, C. A., & Ho, M. H. R. (2011). Conceptualizing the prospective relationship between social support, stress, and depressive symptoms among adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 39(4), 475-487.
Balsamo, M., Carlucci, L., Sergi, M. R., Murdock, K. K., & Saggino, A. (2015). The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the relation between co-rumination and depression in young adults. PloS One, 10(10), e0140177.
Bastin, M., Mezulis, A. H., Ahles, J., Raes, F., & Bijttebier, P. (2015). Moderating effects of brooding and co-rumination on the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms in early adolescence:A multi-wave study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43(4), 607-618.
Burke, T., Sticca, F., & Perren, S. (2017). Everything's gonna be alright! The longitudinal interplay among social support, peer victimization, and depressive symptoms. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46(9), 1999-2014.
Casale, M., Boyes, M., Pantelic, M., Toska, E., & Cluver, L. (2018). Suicidal thoughts and behaviour among South African adolescents living with HIV:Can social support buffer the impact of stigma?. Journal of Affective Disorders, 245, 82-90.
Caspi, A., Sugden, K., Moffitt, T. E., Taylor, A., Craig, I. W., Harrington, H.,… Poulton, R. (2003). Influence of life stress on depression:moderation by a polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene. Science, 301(5631), 386-389.
Chang, C. W., Yuan, R., & Chen, J. K. (2018). Social support and depression among Chinese adolescents:The mediating roles of self-esteem and self-efficacy. Children and Youth Services Review, 88, 128-134.
Cicchetti, D., Rogosch, F. A., & Sturge-Apple, M. L. (2007). Interactions of child maltreatment and serotonin transporter and monoamine oxidase A polymorphisms:Depressive symptomatology among adolescents from low socioeconomic status backgrounds. Development and Psychopathology, 19(4), 1161-1180.
Cohen, S. (2004). Social relationships and health. American Psychologist, 59(8), 676.
Colarossi, L. G., & Eccles, J. S. (2003). Differential effects of support providers on adolescents' mental health. Social Work Research, 27(1), 19-30.
Conners-Burrow, N. A., Johnson, D. L., Whiteside-Mansell, L., McKelvey, L., & Gargus, R. A. (2009). Adults matter:Protecting children from the negative impacts of bullying. Psychology in the Schools, 46(7), 593-604.
Dang, X. Q., Li, Y., & Zhang, B. S. (2016). Interpersonal relationships and adolescent depression:roles of self-esteem and gender. Chin. J. Clin. Psychol, 24, 69-73.
Devenish, B., Hooley, M., & Mellor, D. (2017). The pathways between socioeconomic status and adolescent outcomes:A systematic review. American Journal of Community Psychology, 59(1-2), 219-238.
DeYoung, C. G., Weisberg, Y. J., Quilty, L. C., & Peterson, J. B. (2013). Unifying the aspects of the Big Five, the interpersonal circumplex, and trait affiliation. Journal of Personality, 81(5), 465-475.
Eagle, D. E., Hybels, C. F., & Proeschold-Bell, R. J. (2019). Perceived social support, received social support, and depression among clergy. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(7), 2055-2073.
Frison, E., & Eggermont, S. (2015). The impact of daily stress on adolescents' depressed mood:The role of social support seeking through Facebook. Computers in Human Behavior, 44, 315-325.
Furman, W., & Buhrmester, D. (1992). Age and sex differences in perceptions of networks of personal relationships. Child Development, 63(1), 103-115.
Gagné, M. H., & Melançon, C. (2013). Parental psychological violence and adolescent behavioral adjustment:The role of coping and social support. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28(1), 176-200.
Galand, B., & Hospel, V. (2013). Peer victimization and school disaffection:Exploring the moderation effect of social support and the mediation effect of depression. British journal of educational psychology, 83(4), 569-590.
Gariepy, G., Honkaniemi, H., & Quesnel-Vallee, A. (2016). Social support and protection from depression:Systematic review of current findings in Western countries. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 209(4), 284-293.
Gartstein, M. A., Bridgett, D. J., Dishion, T. J., & Kaufman, N. K. (2009). Depressed mood and maternal report of child behavior problems:Another look at the depression-distortion hypothesis. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30(2), 149-160.
Gibb, B. E., Beevers, C. G., & McGeary, J. E. (2013). Toward an integration of cognitive and genetic models of risk for depression. Cognition & Emotion, 27(2), 193-216.
Habashi, M. M., Graziano, W. G., & Hoover, A. E. (2016). Searching for the prosocial personality:A Big Five approach to linking personality and prosocial behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 42(9), 1177-1192.
Hankin, B. L. (2015). Depression from childhood through adolescence:Risk mechanisms across multiple systems and levels of analysis. Current Opinion in Psychology, 4, 13-20.
Hankin, B. L., Mermelstein, R., & Roesch, L. (2007). Sex differences in adolescent depression:Stress exposure and reactivity models. Child Development, 78(1), 279-295.
Heponiemi, T., Elovainio, M., Kivimäki, M., Pulkki, L., Puttonen, S., & Keltikangas-Järvinen, L. (2006). The longitudinal effects of social support and hostility on depressive tendencies. Social Science & Medicine, 63(5), 1374-1382.
Hombrados-Mendieta, M. I., Gomez-Jacinto, L., Dominguez-Fuentes, J. M., Garcia-Leiva, P., & Castro-Travé, M. (2012). Types of social support provided by parents, teachers,and classmates during adolescence. Journal of Community Psychology, 40(6), 645-664.
Jacobson, R., Cohen, H., & Diamond, G. M. (2016). Gender atypicality and anxiety response to social interaction stress in homosexual and heterosexual men. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45(3), 713-723.
Jane Costello, E., Erkanli, A., & Angold, A. (2006). Is there an epidemic of child or adolescent depression? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47(12), 1263-1271.
Kerr, D. C., Preuss, L. J., & King, C. A. (2006). Suicidal adolescents' social support from family and peers:Gender-specific associations with psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34(1), 99-110.
La Greca, A. M., & Harrison, H. M. (2005). Adolescent peer relations, friendships, and romantic relationships:Do they predict social anxiety and depression? Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(1), 49-61.
Lacey, C. J., Salzberg, M. R., & D'Souza, W. J. (2014). Serotonin transporter gene×environment and risk of depression in community-treated epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 39, 33-37.
Laursen, B., & Collins, W. A. (2009). Parent-child relationships during adolescence. Handbook of adolescent psychology, 2.
Lewis, G. J., Bates, T. C., Posthuma, D., & Polderman, T. J. (2014). Core dimensions of personality broadly account for the link from perceived social support to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Journal of Personality, 82(4), 329-339.
Li, J. J., Berk, M. S., & Lee, S. S. (2013). Differential susceptibility in longitudinal models of gene-environment interaction for adolescent depression. Development and Psychopathology, 25(4pt1), 991-1003.
McLeod, G. F., Horwood, L. J., & Fergusson, D. M. (2016). Adolescent depression, adult mental health and psychosocial outcomes at 30 and 35 years. Psychological Medicine, 46(7), 1401-1412.
Needham, B. L. (2008). Reciprocal relationships between symptoms of depression and parental support during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37(8), 893-905.
Papafratzeskakou, E., Kim, J., Longo, G. S., & Riser, D. K. (2011). Peer victimization and depressive symptoms:Role of peers and parent-child relationship. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 20(7), 784-799.
Park, J., Lee, D. S., Shablack, H., Verduyn, P., Deldin, P., Ybarra, O.,… Kross, E. (2016). When perceptions defy reality:the relationships between depression and actual and perceived Facebook social support. Journal of Affective Disorders, 200, 37-44.
Pössel, P., Burton, S. M., Cauley, B., Sawyer, M. G., Spence, S. H., & Sheffield, J. (2018). Associations between social support from family, friends, and teachers and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(2), 398-412.
Prinstein, M. J., & La Greca, A. M. (2002). Peer crowd affiliation and internalizing distress in childhood and adolescence:A longitudinal follow-back study. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 12(3), 325-351.
Quinn, M. E., Grant, K. E., & Adam, E. K. (2018). Negative cognitive style and cortisol recovery accentuate the relationship between life stress and depressive symptoms. Stress, 21(2), 119-127.
Rieger, S., Göllner, R., Trautwein, U., & Roberts, B. W. (2016). Low self-esteem prospectively predicts depression in the transition to young adulthood:A replication of Orth, Robins, and Roberts (2008). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 110(1), e16.
Rueger, S. Y., Malecki, C. K., Pyun, Y., Aycock, C., & Coyle, S. (2016). A meta-analytic review of the association between perceived social support and depression in childhood and adolescence. Psychological Bulletin, 142(10), 1017.
Santini, Z. I., Koyanagi, A., Tyrovolas, S., Mason, C., & Haro, J. M. (2015). The association between social relationships and depression:a systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 175, 53-65.
Schwartz, D., Hopmeyer, A., Luo, T., Ross, A. C., & Fischer, J. (2017). Affiliation with antisocial crowds and psychosocial outcomes in a gang-impacted urban middle school. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 37(4), 559-586.
Shih, J. H., Barstead, M. G., & Dianno, N. (2018). Interpersonal predictors of stress generation:Is there a super factor? British Journal of Psychology, 109(3), 466-486.
Simpson, D., Suarez, L., Cox, L., & Connolly, S. (2018). The role of coping strategies in understanding the relationship between parental support and psychological outcomes in anxious youth. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 35(4), 407-421.
Smetana, J. G., Metzger, A., Gettman, D. C., & Campione-Barr, N. (2006). Disclosure and secrecy in adolescent-parent relationships. Child Development, 77(1), 201-217.
Stadler, C., Feifel, J., Rohrmann, S., Vermeiren, R., & Poustka, F. (2010). Peer-victimization and mental health problems in adolescents:Are parental and school support protective? Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 41(4), 371-386.
Stroud, C. B., Sosoo, E. E., & Wilson, S. (2018). Rumination, excessive reassurance seeking, and stress generation among early adolescent girls. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 38(2), 139-163.
Tanigawa, D., Furlong, M. J., Felix, E. D., & Sharkey, J. D. (2011). The protective role of perceived social support against the manifestation of depressive symptoms in peer victims. Journal of School Violence, 10(4), 393-412.
Thoits, P. A. (2011). Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 52(2), 145-161.
Turner, R. J., Turner, J. B., & Hale, W. B. (2014). Social relationships and social support. In Sociology of mental health(pp. 1-20). Springer, Cham.
Van Droogenbroeck, F., Spruyt, B., & Keppens, G. (2018). Gender differences in mental health problems among adolescents and the role of social support:Results from the Belgian health interview surveys 2008 and 2013. BMC Psychiatry, 18(1), 6.
Vélez, C. E., Krause, E. D., McKinnon, A., Brunwasser, S. M., Freres, D. R., Abenavoli, R. M., & Gillham, J. E. (2016). Social support seeking and early adolescent depression and anxiety symptoms:The moderating role of rumination. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 36(8), 1118-1143.
Verboom, C. E., Sijtsema, J. J., Verhulst, F. C., Penninx, B. W., & Ormel, J. (2014). Longitudinal associations between depressive problems, academic performance, and social functioning in adolescent boys and girls. Developmental Psychology, 50(1), 247.
Weist, M. D., Freedman, A. H., Paskewitz, D. A., Proescher, E. J., & Flaherty, L. T. (1995). Urban youth under stress:Empirical identification of protective factors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 24(6), 705-721.
Whittington, C. J., Kendall, T., Fonagy, P., Cottrell, D., Cotgrove, A., & Boddington, E. (2004). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in childhood depression:systematic review of published versus unpublished data. The Lancet, 363(9418), 1341-1345.
Yang, X., Lau, J. T., & Lau, M. C. (2018). Predictors of remission from probable depression among Hong Kong adolescents-A large-scale longitudinal study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 229, 491-497.
Yin, X. Q., Wang, L. H., Zhang, G. D., Liang, X. B., Li, J., Zimmerman, M. A., & Wang, J. L. (2017). The promotive effects of peer support and active coping on the relationship between bullying victimization and depression among Chinese boarding students. Psychiatry Research, 256, 59-65.
Zhang, B., Yan, X., Zhao, F., & Yuan, F. (2015). The relationship between perceived stress and adolescent depression:The roles of social support and gender. Social Indicators Research, 123(2), 501-518.
Zhou, X., Wu, X., & Zhen, R. (2017). Understanding the relationship between social support and posttraumatic stress disorder/posttraumatic growth among adolescents after Ya'an earthquake:The role of emotion regulation. Psychological Trauma:Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9(2), 214.
Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Waters, A. M., & Kindermann, T. (2010). A social relations analysis of liking for and by peers:Associations with gender, depression, peer perception, and worry. Journal of Adolescence, 33(1), 69-81.
曹丛, 王美萍, 纪林芹, 魏星, 曹衍淼, 张文新. (2016). MAOA基因rs6323多态性与母亲支持性教养对青少年抑郁的交互作用:素质-压力假说与不同易感性假说的检验. 心理学报,48(1), 22-35.
曹衍淼, 王美萍, 曹丛, 张文新. (2016). 抑郁的多基因遗传基础. 心理科学进展, 24(4), 525-535.
常丽, 杜建政. (2007). 内隐自尊的功能:缓冲器, 还是滤波器. 心理科学, 30(4), 251-253.
刘海娇. (2011). 青少年亲子关系和友谊关系的特点及其与抑郁和孤独感的关系(硕士学位论文). 山东师范大学,济南.
刘海娇, 田录梅, 王姝琼, 张文新. (2011). 青少年的父子关系、母子关系及其对抑郁的影响. 心理科学, 34(6), 125-130.
田录梅, 陈光辉, 王姝琼, 刘海娇, 张文新. (2012). 父母支持、友谊支持对早中期青少年孤独感和抑郁的影响. 心理学报, 44(7), 944-956.
田录梅, 张文新, 陈光辉. (2014). 父母支持, 友谊质量对孤独感和抑郁的影响:检验一个间接效应模型. 心理学报, 46(2), 238-251.
徐夫真. (2012). 青少年早期抑郁的发展及其与家庭, 同伴和个体因素的关系(博士学位论文). 山东师范大学,济南.
张琳霓, 蔡丹, 赵佳林, 徐浙宁. (2018). 青少年社会支持, 抑郁感和问题行为的关系:有调节的中介作用. 教育生物学杂志, 6(4), 34-38.
钟歆, 刘聚红, 陈旭. (2014). 青少年同伴依恋:基于发展的视角. 心理科学进展, 22(7), 1149-1158.
张卓. (2012). 家庭功能、父母抑郁和父母社会支持对儿童青少年孤独感的影响(硕士学位论文). 中南大学, 长沙.
[1] YANG Ming, XIN Sufei, XIN Ziqiang. Weakening Social Support and the Tendency to Avoid Failure: Intergenerational Changes of Achievement Motivation among Chinese College Students [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(4): 525-535.
[2] LI Xuan, MA Shufeng. The Influence of Collaborative Reasoning on Chinese Adolescents’ Development of Peer Relationships [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(3): 315-325.
[3] FAN Xinghua, JIN Jianing, YAN Lifei, LI Xiaotong, DENG Huixi. The Effect of Left-behind Adversity on the Developmental Trajectory of Personal Growth Initiative of Left-behind Children in Junior Middle School: The Mediation of the Developmental Trajectory of Social Support [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(3): 427-436.
[4] ZHAO Taige, SHENG Liang, GAO Junjie, XIN Sufei. Longitudinal Associations between Parental Emotional Warmth and Adolescent Prosocial Behavior Tendency: The Mediation Role of Upward Social Comparison [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(3): 437-446.
[5] LIU Tuanli, XU Yang, BAI Xuejun. The Influence of Part-list Cuing on Memory Retrieval: Integrated Evolution from Single-to Multi-mechanism [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(2): 285-294.
[6] DING Yue, LIU Lijia, KOU Yu. Interpersonal Relationship Satisfaction in the Digital Age: The Role of Online Positive Feedback and Perceived Social Support [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(1): 39-49.
[7] XIANG Yanhui, MA Liping, HU Yunqi, LI Xiaojun. The Relationship between Psychological Adaptation and Internal and External Aggression among Adolescents: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study and a Weekly Diary Method [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(1): 85-97.
[8] BIAN Haotian, ZHUANG Ruixue, WANG Jiabao, BIAN Yufang, LIANG Lichan. Parental Burnout and Adolescents’Internet Gaming Addiction: Roles of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Effortful Control and Gender [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(1): 110-120.
[9] YANG Shuyun, LI Zihan, REN Ping. Effects of Bullying Victimization on NSSI in Early Adolescent: The Role of Loneliness and Emotion Regulation Strategies [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2026, 42(1): 121-130.
[10] ZHENG Tianpeng, ZHOU Xinran, LIANG Lichan, YUAN Keman, BIAN Yufang. Relationship between Parent-adolescent Discrepancies in Perceived Parental Warmth and Children’s Depressive Symptoms and Aggressive Behavior [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2025, 41(6): 869-880.
[11] ZHANG Minghao, WANG Junru, WANG Yan, YANG Zhaoli, ZHANG Yanfang, LOU Huilin, XU Xiaohui, XU Min. Influence of Environmental Unpredictability in Early Life on Depression among Junior Middle School Students: The Role of Life History Strategy and Resource Control Strategy [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2025, 41(6): 881-891.
[12] CHEN Zixun, BAI Rong, LI Jinwen, XU Chengrui. The Longitudinal Relationship between Inter-parental Conflict and Mobile Phone Addiction in Adolescence: The Role of Impulsivity and Friend Support [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2025, 41(6): 892-902.
[13] ZHANG Shanshan, WU Jiayu, WANG Hongyi, LIU Zhihong. Longitudinal Association between Online Authentic Self-presentation and Depression among High School Students: Mediating Effect of Relatedness Needs and Moderating of Interpersonal Sensitivity [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2025, 41(6): 903-912.
[14] TANG Jiayi, FU Chengyu, XU Wei. The Influence of Family Function on Adolescents’ Depression and Social Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Belief in a Just World [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2025, 41(5): 701-709.
[15] ZHANG Feng, HUANG Silin, MEI Kehan, ZHANG Jiatian, DENG Yiyi. The Effects of Social Mobility Beliefs on Academic Persistence of Chinese Rural Adolescents in Areas out of Povery: The Moderating Role of Academic Coping Strategies [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2025, 41(4): 510-517.
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited
  Shared   
  Discussed   
No Suggested Reading articles found!
Copyright 2018 © Editorial office of Psychological Development and Education
Supported by Beijing Magtech Co.Ltd