Differences in the quantity of social support between geographically close and long-distance friendships

The present study investigated whether geographic distance affects the quantity of received and perceived social support provided by best friends. A total of 142 undergraduate students completed a web-based survey assessing social support within their friendship networks. Findings indicated that geographically close best friends provide more received support than their long-distance counterparts, but there was no consistent difference between groups for perceived support. Implications and future avenues for research are discussed.