Meta-Analysis of the Relationships Between Social Support and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents

Research has started to explore the associations between social support and well-being among children and adolescents, but the overall relationship is still unclear. This study explored: (1) the overall association between social support and well-being, (2) the association differences among categories of well-being, (3) the association differences among different types of social support measures, (4) the association differences among different support sources, and (5) whether the association between social support and well-being changed with participants' age. Two hundred forty-six studies were collected and analyzed, and the results indicated a positive but small association between social support and well-being. Additionally, moderator analyses indicated that social support was more strongly associated with self-concept, perceived support was more strongly associated with well-being, support from teachers and school personnel was more strongly associated with well-being, and the association between social support and well-being increased with age. The implications and possible applications of the relationship between social support and well-being among children and adolescents are discussed.