Perceived Social Support for a Sustainable Adolescence: A Theoretical Model of Its Sources and Types

Arantzazu Rodríguez-Fernández, Iker Izar- de-la-Fuente, Naiara Escalante and Lorea Azpiazu
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Arantzazu Rodríguez-Fernández: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Education and Sports Faculty of Vitoria-Gasteiz, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Juan Ibañez de Sto. Domingo 1 Street, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Iker Izar- de-la-Fuente: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Education and Sports Faculty of Vitoria-Gasteiz, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Juan Ibañez de Sto. Domingo 1 Street, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Naiara Escalante: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Education and Sports Faculty of Vitoria-Gasteiz, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Juan Ibañez de Sto. Domingo 1 Street, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Lorea Azpiazu: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, Philosophy and Anthropology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Tolosa Avenue 70 Street, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Despite the growing interest in perceived social support as a means of achieving sustainable psychological development and well-being in the various contexts of the adolescent, its definition and composition remain unclear. The aim of this study is to test both the hierarchical order and the types and sources of a theoretical model of the social support perceived by adolescents. The model is based on the theories of Tardy and Lin, as well as on the findings of recent studies on the construct. Three theoretical models are compared using the structural equations method. The participants were 1081 randomly selected secondary school students (aged 12–18 years) from the north of Spain, who completed the APIK Perceived Social Support Questionnaire. The model positing that perceived social support comprises a hierarchical first level formed by sources of support (family, friends and teachers) and a lower second level derived from the first one, formed by types of support (emotional, material and informational), proved to be the first-choice solution. The results establish a solid theoretical base for both future studies on perceived social support during adolescence and possible educational interventions designed to improve social support for teenagers.

Keywords: perceived social support; theoretical model; sources of social support; types of social support; adolescence; sustainable psychological development; family; friends and teachers; emotional; material and informational support; structural equations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5657-:d:557109

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