The Mediating Role of Social Support between Psychological Distress and Mental Well-Being

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 174 - 184, 30.12.2024

Hazal Yağmur Çakır , Beste Erdinç , Yusuf Akyıl , Tuncay Oral , Şilan Duman

https://doi.org/10.52974/jena.1582103

Abstract

Not only can individuals benefit themselves but also their immediate environment and society as a whole when they are mentally healthy. An elevated level of mental health may stimulate positivity. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly examine and resolve the issue. Psychological distress is a common experience that individuals encounter at different stages of life. When faced with a challenging situation, individuals can benefit from social support resources. The distress individuals endure influences how they assess their mental health and social support resources. In this context, the present study aims to examine the mediating role of social support in the relationship between psychological distress and mental well-being. For the first time, the relationships between these variables were examined. Data were collected from 434 adult volunteers. The structural equation modelling (SEM) method was employed to analyse the mediation between the concepts. The analyses' results indicated that psychological distress was a predictor of mental well-being, both directly and indirectly through interpersonal support. Individuals who are experiencing distress exhibit diminished levels of mental well-being and perceive less social support. Perceiving more support from their environment and experiencing less distress can enhance individuals' mental health.

Keywords

Social Support, Psychological Distress, Mental Well-Being

References

• Altun, Y., Özen, M., & Kuloğlu, M. M. (2019). Psikolojik sıkıntı ölçeğinin Türkçe uyarlaması: Geçerlilik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry/Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi, 20, 23-31. https://doi.org/10.5455/apd.12801
• Beiser, M. (1974). Components and correlates of mental well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 15(4), 320. https://doi.org/10.2307/2137092
• Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. Sage Focus Editions, 154, 136-136. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124192021002005
• Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310-357.
• Demirtaş, A. S., & Baytemir, K. (2019). Warwick-edinburgh mental iyi oluş ölçeği kısa formu’nun Türkçe’ye uyarlanması: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Elektronik Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 18(70), 689-701. https://doi.org/10.17755/esosder.432708
• Duman, N., Göksu, P., Köroğlu, C., & Talay, A. (2020). Üniversite öğrencilerinde mental iyi oluş ile psikolojik dayanıklılık ilişkisi. Yaşam Becerileri Psikoloji Dergisi, 4(7), 9-17. https://doi.org/10.31461/ybpd.668737
• Eker, D., Arkar, H., & Yaldız, H. Çok boyutlu algılanan sosyal destek ölçeği’nin gözden geçirilmiş formunun faktör yapısı, geçerlik ve güvenirliği. Türk Psikiyatri Dergisi, 12(1), 17-25.
• Finney, S. J., & DiStefano, C. (2006). Non-normal and categorical data in structural equation modeling. In G. R. Hancock & R. O. Mueller (Eds.), structural equation modeling: A second course (pp. 269-314). Information Age Publishing.
• Fox, K. R. (1999). The influence of physical activity on mental well-being. Public Health Nutrition, 2(3a), 411–418. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980099000567
• Hartavi, S., & Çelikay Söyler, H. (2022). COVİD-19 Pandemi sürecinde birinci basamak sağlık çalışanlarında psikolojik sıkıntı, tükenmişlik ve hijyen davranışlarının incelenmesi. Sosyal, Beşeri ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi, 5(11), 1603–1617. https://doi.org/10.26677/TR1010.2022.1119
• Holahan, C. J., & Moos, R. H. (1981). Social support and psychological distress: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 90(4), 365–370. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843x.90.4.365
• Horwıtz, B. N., Reynolds, C. A., & Charles, S. T. (2014). Understanding associations among family support, friend support, and psychological distress. Personal Relationships, 22(1), 79–91. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12063
• Iraz, R., Arıbaş, A. N., & Özşahin, F. (2021). Algılanan sosyal destek ve psikolojik iyi oluş ilişkisi: Üniversite öğrencileri örneği. Stratejik ve Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 5(2), 363-376.
• Kawachi, I., & Berkman, L. F. (2001). Social ties and mental health. In L. F. Berkman & I. Kawachi (Eds.), Social epidemiology (pp. 145-174). Oxford University Press.
• Kessler, R. C., Andrews, G., Colpe, L. J., Hiripi, E., Mroczek, D. K., Normand, S. L., Walters, E. E., & Zaslavsky, A. M. (2002). Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychological Medicine, 32(6), 959-976. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291702006074
• Keldal, G. (2015). The development of the Mental Well-Being Scale: Validity and reliability. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 15(3), 723-733.
• Kristensen, S. M., Larsen, T. M. B., Urke, H. B., & Danielsen, A. G. (2023). Academic stress, academic self-efficacy, and psychological distress: A moderated mediation of within-person effects. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 52(7), 1512-1529.
• Mirowsky, J., & Ross, C. E. (2002). Selecting outcomes for the sociology of mental health: Issues of measurement and dimensionality. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 43, 152-170.
• Nasser-Abu Alhija, F., & Wisenbaker, J. (2006). A Monte Carlo study investigating the impact of item parceling strategies on parameter estimates and their standard errors in CFA. Structural Equation Modeling, 13(2), 204-228. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328007sem1302_3
• Oral, T., & Arslan, C. (2017). Kişilerarası hataya ilişkin ruminasyon ölçeği’ni Türkçe’ye uyarlama çalışması. Bilişsel Davranışçı Psikoterapi ve Araştırmalar Dergisi, 6(3), 101-107. https://doi.org/10.5455/JCBPR.268374
• Özer, E., & Deniz, M. E. (2014). Üniversite öğrencilerinin psikolojik sağlamlık düzeylerinin duygusal zeka açısından incelenmesi. İlköğretim Online, 13(4), 1240-1248. https://doi.org/10.17051/io.2014.74855
• Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879-891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 141-166. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141
• Sarıçam, H. (2023). COVID-19 sonrası yetişkinlerde yalnızlık: UCLA yalnızlık ölçeği kısa formunun (UYÖKF-6) psikometrik özellikleri. Iğdır Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 32, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.54600/igdirsosbilder.1066242
• Saygın, Y. (2008). Üniversite öğrencilerinin sosyal destek, benlik saygısı ve öznel iyi oluş düzeylerinin incelenmesi. [Unpublished master’s dissertation]. Selçuk Üniversitesi.
• Sarason, I. G., Sarason, B. R., & Pierce, G. R. (1990). Social support: An interactional view. In S. Cohen & L. Syme (Eds.), Social support and health (pp. 97-127). Academic Press.
• Şahin, G. N. (2011). Üniversite öğrencilerinin kendini açma, öznel iyi oluş ve algıladıkları sosyal destek düzeylerinin karşılaştırılması [ Unpublished master's dissertation]. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi.
• Snyder, C. R., & Pulvers, K. M. (2001). The role of hope in mental health and clinical therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57(7), 1224-1234. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.1050
• Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2001). Using multivariate statistics (4th ed.). Pearson Education.
• Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., Platt, S., Joseph, S., Weich, S., ... & Stewart-Brown, S. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale (WEMWBS): Development and UK validation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 5, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-5-63
• Topkaya, N., & Kavas, A. B. (2015). Algılanan sosyal destek, yaşam doyumu, psikolojik yardım almaya ilişkin tutum ve niyet arasındaki ilişkiler: Bir model çalışması. Electronic Turkish Studies, 10(2).
• Uz Baş, A., Öz Soysal, F. S., & Aysan, F. (2016). Üniversite öğrencilerinde problemli internet kullanımının psikolojik iyi-oluş ve sosyal destek ile ilişkisi. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 5(4), 1035-1046. https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.85603
• Wheaton, B. (1994). Sampling and analysis of social support: An overview. In S. Cohen & L. Underwood (Eds.), Social support: Theory, research, and applications (pp. 87-109). Sage Publications.
• Winefield, H. R., Gill, T. K., Taylor, A. W., & Pilkington, R. M. (2012). Psychological well-being and psychological distress: Is it necessary to measure both?. Psychology of Well-Being: Theory, Research and Practice, 2, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/2211-1522-2-3
• Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30-41. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2