Comfort and conflict in the relationships of pregnant, minority adolescents: Social support as a moderator of social strain

Although there is growing recognition that social strain can be a source of considerable distress, few studies to date have examined the ways in which social support may moderate social strain. In this study, social strain was conceived of as a stressor in its own right, whose adverse effects were expected to be alleviated by social support. Participants were 157 pregnant, minority teenagers, all of whom were attending an alternative school for pregnant students. Life events and social strain were positively related to depression. In addition, a significant interaction between social strain and cognitive guidance was found. The pattern of findings suggests that cognitive guidance may intervene between the experience of problematic social exchanges and the onset of depression. Implications of these findings for future research and intervention are discussed.