The Relationship of Personality to Individual Differences in the Use of Type and Source of Social Support

Relationships among four personality variables (trait anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, social anxiety, and self-esteem) and individual differences in the use of both type and source of social support were investigated in this study. Factor analyses of the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors revealed three different types of social support: Emotional Support, Guidance, and Tangible Aid. The newly developed Support Dimension Scale yielded four Factors: Support from Same-Gender Friends, Support from Other-Gender Friends, Support from Family, and Support from Helping Professionals. Data from 373 young adults attending college revealed that anxious students were more likely to seek guidance, but were less likely to seek emotional support. As expected, socially anxious students were more likely to seek support from their families than from friends of the other gender. High self-esteem was related to receiving both emotional support and support from family members. Emotional support was also associated with other-gender friends, and guidance was associated with helping professionals. Implications for preventive programming and for the integration of research in the areas of personality and social support are discussed.