What Do I Really Need? the Effects of Social Support in Alleviating Depression Related Tomaterial Hardship Among Emerging Adults

Introduction. Emerging adulthood is a critical life stage characterized by ‘identity exploration’, ‘instability’, ‘self-focus’, ‘feeling in between’, and ‘possibility and optimism’. A successful transition through this period is important for sustaining well-being throughout life. However, one of the major challenges faced by emerging adults is material hardship. Individuals experiencing material hardship are more likely to encounter chronic physical and mental health issues, such as depression, compared to their counterparts—hindering a successful transition to adulthood. Fortunately, social support from family or friends plays important role in alleviating the adverse effects of material hardship. Notably, different types of social support contribute to well-being in distinct ways. Despite this, little research has specifically investigated how different types of social support are associated with the adverse effects of material hardship. This study aims to examine the relationship among emerging adults’ material hardship, perceived social support, and depression.

Methods. Data for this study come from Wave 7 of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study and its supplementary survey, the Study of Adolescent Neural Development COVID-19 Supplement. The sample consisted of 654 emerging adults who participated in both surveys. Material hardship was assessed using 11 dichotomous items (yes/no) and categorized into three levels: none, mild, and severe group. Depression was measured using the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (α = .944). Perceived social support was assessed using the 12-item short form of the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, with three subscales: Appraisal Support (α = .949), Belonging Support (α = .956), and Tangible Support (α = .956). Covariates included age, education, gender, race, and income. Ordinary Least Squares regression was conducted, including four models: an intercept-only model(1), a main effects model(2), a moderator model(3), and an interaction effects model(4).

Results. Findings demonstrated that material hardship is significantly associated with higher depression levels, and the relationship is moderated by perceived social support. In Model 1, female and non-binary individuals reported significantly higher depression levels than males (B=18.489, p <.001). Model 2, which included material hardship groups, showed that the severe-group had significantly higher depression levels than the none-group (B=4.503, p <.001). In Model 3, which added the perceived social support, both appraisal support (B=-0.625, p <.001) and belonging support (B=-0.637, p < .001) were significantly associated with lower depression, while tangible support had no significant effect. The explanatory power of the models improves across steps (R² = .059→.238). Model 4 found interaction effects between material hardship and appraisal support. This indicates that the mild-group (B=-0.709, p=.049) and the severe-group (B=-0.814, p =.030) benefited more from appraisal support than the none-group.

Discussion. These findings show that material hardship negatively affects emerging adults’ mental health. Perceived social support alleviated these adverse effects, highlighting the need for emotional support such as empathy and educational support for advice and guidance. Notably, individuals experiencing severe material hardship benefited more from appraisal support compared to those without material hardship, suggesting that targeted interventions focused on providing advice are essential.