Effects of social support on self-assessed health in adolescence

Based on a national survey of Icelandic adolescents, this study evaluates the effects of social support on self-assessed health. The study compares four support sources, and distinguishes between direct effects and indirect effects through (1) health-related behaviors and (2) different aspects of mental health. The study indicates that parental support has the largest total effect on self-assessed health, followed by friend support, and other adult support. (Sibling support is unrelated.) The total effect of parents is due to their pervasive indirect impact, i.e., supportive parents encourage positive health behaviors and enhance mental health, which results in favorable assessment of own health. In contrast, friends and other adults affect self-assessed health in a more specific, and sometimes negative manner. Also, friends are the only support source having direct effect on self-assessed health. The implication of these results are discussed.This research was partially supported by Grant No. 123230-93 from the University of Iceland Research Fund.Received a Ph.D. in medical sociology from the University of Wisconsin — Madison. Research interests include epidemiology of mental disorder and distress, effects of social support on mental health, and adolescent health-related behaviors and perceptions.