The Role of Family Support and Perceived Stress Reactivity in Predicting Depression in College Freshman

Depression is a common mental illness affecting more than 19 million Americans each year. Critically, depression may be especially damaging when it occurs during college as it may influence early adulthood development. Family support and stress have been associated with maintenance and development of depression, yet no prior studies have looked at the interplay of these variables in the college environment. The objective of the present study is to analyze the protective effect of family support on the relationship between perceived stress reactivity and depression in college students. One hundred and eighty-one freshman undergraduate participants completed questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms, family emotional and instrumental support, and perceived stress reactivity. Moderated regression analyses revealed that when perceived stress reactivity is low, family emotional support significantly protects against depressive symptoms. When an individual displays high levels of perceived stress reactivity however, family emotional support is less useful in protecting against depression. Findings suggest that involving family in the college transition to increase emotional support to students beginning college may help protect against depression symptomatology.