Emotional Support and Perceived Stress Among College Students Using Facebook.com: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Source Perceptions and Emotional Support

This study examined perceptions of support providers, emotional support, and perceived stress among college students using Facebook.com®. Specifically, the study focused on the relationship between perceptions of emotional support from fellow Facebook users and perceived stress. In addition, it examined the relationship between 2 key source perceptions (homophily and attraction) and perceptions of emotional support. The findings indicated that perceived emotional support from Facebook users was predictive of lower perceived stress. Moreover, perceptions of homophily and attraction concerning potential support providers were predictive of increased emotional support. The implications of these findings for computer-mediated communication and social support research are discussed, along with key limitations of the study.