Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adults

Psychological distress (PD) involves a deficit in emotional capacities. Social support (SS), structural and functional, is a protective factor for health as it reduces stress and distress. Previous literature indicates that both variables are related and vary throughout adulthood. Based on a cross-...

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Main Authors: María Agustina Aceiro, Gisela Delfino, Francisco González Insua, Lina Grasso, Solange Rodríguez Espínola
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú 2025-07-01
Series:Revista de Psicología
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Online Access:https://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/psicologia/article/view/31616
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author María Agustina Aceiro
Gisela Delfino
Francisco González Insua
Lina Grasso
Solange Rodríguez Espínola
author_facet María Agustina Aceiro
Gisela Delfino
Francisco González Insua
Lina Grasso
Solange Rodríguez Espínola
author_sort María Agustina Aceiro
collection DOAJ
description Psychological distress (PD) involves a deficit in emotional capacities. Social support (SS), structural and functional, is a protective factor for health as it reduces stress and distress. Previous literature indicates that both variables are related and vary throughout adulthood. Based on a cross-sectional study (n=5388; 53.7% women; age: 18-98, M=43.15; SD=17.38), we aimed to analyze whether age is a moderating factor in the relationship between SS and PD in adulthood. A deficit in SS is related to PD, and age moderates between them. The relationship between PD and structural SS is more potent in older adults, while instrumental and informational SS is more robust in younger adults. Affective SS is the best predictor of PD regardless of age.
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language Spanish
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
record_format Article
series Revista de Psicología
spelling doaj-art-5da79cc35a2c492f8282c22ab2ee797a2025-08-20T02:45:50ZspaPontificia Universidad Católica del PerúRevista de Psicología0254-92472223-37332025-07-0143210.18800/psico.202502.009Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adultsMaría Agustina AceiroGisela DelfinoFrancisco González InsuaLina GrassoSolange Rodríguez Espínola Psychological distress (PD) involves a deficit in emotional capacities. Social support (SS), structural and functional, is a protective factor for health as it reduces stress and distress. Previous literature indicates that both variables are related and vary throughout adulthood. Based on a cross-sectional study (n=5388; 53.7% women; age: 18-98, M=43.15; SD=17.38), we aimed to analyze whether age is a moderating factor in the relationship between SS and PD in adulthood. A deficit in SS is related to PD, and age moderates between them. The relationship between PD and structural SS is more potent in older adults, while instrumental and informational SS is more robust in younger adults. Affective SS is the best predictor of PD regardless of age. https://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/psicologia/article/view/31616Mental healthDepressionAnxietySocial networkAge moderation
spellingShingle María Agustina Aceiro
Gisela Delfino
Francisco González Insua
Lina Grasso
Solange Rodríguez Espínola
Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adults
Revista de Psicología
Mental health
Depression
Anxiety
Social network
Age moderation
title Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adults
title_full Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adults
title_fullStr Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adults
title_full_unstemmed Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adults
title_short Social support and psychological distress across different age groups in Argentine adults
title_sort social support and psychological distress across different age groups in argentine adults
topic Mental health
Depression
Anxiety
Social network
Age moderation
url https://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/psicologia/article/view/31616
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