Mediating Effect of Perceived Social Support on the Correlation between the Past Parent-child Relationships and Psychological Well-being in Late Adolescence

Abstract

This study investigated the associations among the past parent-child relationships and the present availability of perceived social support from parents and friends, and psychological well-being in late adolescence. University students (N = 202) responded to a questionnaire. Path analysis revealed associations between the past parent-child relationships and the present parental support, between the parental support and friends’ support, and between the friends’ support and psychological well-being. There was no direct effect of past parent-child relationships on the present friends’ support. Moreover, parental support functioned as a mediator between past parent-child relationships and the present support from friends. These results suggest that past parent-child relationships affected present social support, especially psychological well-being in late adolescence, which was mediated by friends’ support