Investigating the antecedents of perceived social support: Parents' views of and behavior toward their children.

College students' perceptions of generalized social support were investigated from a developmental perspective. University students (N=262) completed questionnaires concerning general and relationship-specific social support. Questionnaires were mailed to students' parents and a sibling. Student reports of past and present parental relationships predicted parents' questionnaire return. Parents' views of students' personal characteristics predicted students' general perceptions of social support. Relationship-specific social support perceived from father but not mother was predicted by that parent's view of the student. Students' self-views and feelings of parental acceptance, variables theoretically associated with general social support, were also predicted by parents' views