Pilot Study: Role of Social Support and Stress on Anxiety in First-Year College Students

Research indicates worsening mental health, especially anxiety, in college populations; yet few studies have investigated anxiety and related factors in this population. This study examined the impacts and interrelations among anxiety, stress, and social support in first year, first semester college students. In a sample of 119 students, the following models of the impact of social support in the stress-anxiety relation were tested: 1) a direct impact of social support, 2) a moderating effect of social support, and 3) an indirect impact of social support. Results indicated that the indirect model of the influence of social support best fit the data such that social support significantly predicted lower perceived stress which significantly related to lower anxiety. Results highlight the importance of studying diverse models of the effects of social support on the stress-anxiety relation and have implications for prevention and intervention efforts on college campuses.