The Importance of Social Support

For many students, the transition into post-secondary education presents a complete life shift, from childhood into adulthood. With this transition comes the added pressure of adjusting to an entirely new environment, and with taking on new roles and responsibilities. Finding their way without familiar connections, students are particularly vulnerable to diminished mental well-being. Research has shown that students who have adequate social support are better able to adjust to university life: those who feel that they belong to their community experience lower levels of anxiety and depression (Awang, Kutty, & Ahmad 2014, pp. 263, 268). The stress of university life is better managed when we have social resources to which we can turn to in times of need.

The Douglas Research Centre describes social support as “the subjective availability of care and assistance received from social relationships” (Douglas Research Centre 2020, 1:16). I think that the subjective nature of social support is something really intriguing when it comes to an issue like this: that each person’s personality, preferences, and needs can be so different from one another. So, how can students take steps to ensure that their social needs are met?

    The narrator of this video, in addition to describing the importance of social connection, speaks about the cycle that exists between perceived social support and mental health:

Those with adequate social support enjoy better mental well-being, while those with inadequate social support may experience more mental health problems, which in turn may further reinforce their lack of social connection (Douglas Research Centre 2020). That is, those with preexisting problems may become stuck into a cycle of anxiety/depression alongside social isolation –  a pattern which can be difficult to break out of.

The next video we will watch is about the connection between social support and chronic pain. Though the subject is a bit disconnected from the topic of “being a university student”, the lecturer, Matthew Hermann, MD, offers an interesting discussion of the link between social support and resiliency. Hermann discusses how the experience of pain (both physical and emotional) can contribute to this self-reinforcing cycle between inadequate social support and mental health problems:

Hermann states that the emotional pain of social ostracism can be registered by neural pathways in the same way as physical pain. He further notes the role of self-efficacy: a person’s motivation, self-worth, and the belief that they can get through a period of difficulty (Stanford Pain Medicine 2020). Painful experiences, whether physical or emotional, can be difficult to overcome. These resources, like a growth mindset, social support, and more, can work together to ensure the mental well-being of a student, and to help them work through periods of difficulty.

Please choose one or two of these prompts (or make up your own, if you choose), and leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Later, take some time to respond to one or two of your fellow learner’s responses.

• What measures can students take to improve their social support?
• Do you feel like you are part of a community at university? Why or why not?
• Were you already familiar with the material presented here? Did you learn something new?
• Can you think of any ways for someone to break the cycle between mental health problems and inadequate social support?
• How would you describe your integration into university life, particularly as a first-year student? Was it challenging? Was the environment welcoming? Alienating?

Awang, M. M., Kutty, F. M., & Ahmad, A. R. (2014). Perceived social support and well being: First-year student experience in university. International Education Studies, 7(13)https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v7n13p261

Douglas Research Centre. (2020, December 4). The Importance of Social Support for young adults mental health [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O16Cz0dXF_Q.

Stanford Pain Medicine. (2021, February 7). The Importance of Social Support [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDGBw7A1cMI.