Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing.
This study aimed to assess the impact of sources of social support and dimensions of self-efficacy on psychological symptoms and mental wellbeing among early adolescents. A total of 274 adolescents aged 10-14 from Darjeeling, India, participated in the study. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2024-01-01
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| Series: | PLOS Global Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003904 |
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| author | Megan Cherewick Rinzi Lama Roshan P Rai Choden Dukpa Dikcha Mukhia Priscilla Giri Michael Matergia |
| author_facet | Megan Cherewick Rinzi Lama Roshan P Rai Choden Dukpa Dikcha Mukhia Priscilla Giri Michael Matergia |
| author_sort | Megan Cherewick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to assess the impact of sources of social support and dimensions of self-efficacy on psychological symptoms and mental wellbeing among early adolescents. A total of 274 adolescents aged 10-14 from Darjeeling, India, participated in the study. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) were utilized to assess dimensions of protective/promotive factors. Nested multivariable regression models assessed associations between age, gender, social support, and self-efficacy on psychological symptoms (internalising, externalising, and total difficulties) and mental wellbeing outcomes (mental wellbeing, optimism, and resilience). Results indicated that 13% of early adolescents screened positive for clinical depression and 44% reported poor mental wellbeing. Emotional and academic self-efficacy, along with family support, were significantly associated with reduced psychological symptoms. Conversely, social, and academic self-efficacy, along with support from friends, were linked to higher levels of mental wellbeing. Regression analyses revealed that dimensions of social support and self-efficacy explained a greater proportion of variability in mental wellbeing outcomes (R2 = 0.37-0.64) than in psychological symptom outcomes (R2 = 0.19-0.22), suggesting a stronger promotive effect on mental wellbeing compared to a protective effect on psychological symptoms during early adolescence. Findings suggest the urgent need for early mental health intervention to strengthen systems of social support and support self-efficacy among early adolescents. Multi-level or sequential interventions that target protective and promotive factors are a key strategy to addressing the global youth mental health crisis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a3e3cbc94da94d178635eec8e06095f6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2767-3375 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLOS Global Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-a3e3cbc94da94d178635eec8e06095f62025-08-20T02:44:43ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752024-01-01412e000390410.1371/journal.pgph.0003904Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing.Megan CherewickRinzi LamaRoshan P RaiChoden DukpaDikcha MukhiaPriscilla GiriMichael MatergiaThis study aimed to assess the impact of sources of social support and dimensions of self-efficacy on psychological symptoms and mental wellbeing among early adolescents. A total of 274 adolescents aged 10-14 from Darjeeling, India, participated in the study. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) were utilized to assess dimensions of protective/promotive factors. Nested multivariable regression models assessed associations between age, gender, social support, and self-efficacy on psychological symptoms (internalising, externalising, and total difficulties) and mental wellbeing outcomes (mental wellbeing, optimism, and resilience). Results indicated that 13% of early adolescents screened positive for clinical depression and 44% reported poor mental wellbeing. Emotional and academic self-efficacy, along with family support, were significantly associated with reduced psychological symptoms. Conversely, social, and academic self-efficacy, along with support from friends, were linked to higher levels of mental wellbeing. Regression analyses revealed that dimensions of social support and self-efficacy explained a greater proportion of variability in mental wellbeing outcomes (R2 = 0.37-0.64) than in psychological symptom outcomes (R2 = 0.19-0.22), suggesting a stronger promotive effect on mental wellbeing compared to a protective effect on psychological symptoms during early adolescence. Findings suggest the urgent need for early mental health intervention to strengthen systems of social support and support self-efficacy among early adolescents. Multi-level or sequential interventions that target protective and promotive factors are a key strategy to addressing the global youth mental health crisis.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003904 |
| spellingShingle | Megan Cherewick Rinzi Lama Roshan P Rai Choden Dukpa Dikcha Mukhia Priscilla Giri Michael Matergia Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing. PLOS Global Public Health |
| title | Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing. |
| title_full | Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing. |
| title_fullStr | Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing. |
| title_short | Social support and self-efficacy during early adolescence: Dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing. |
| title_sort | social support and self efficacy during early adolescence dual impact of protective and promotive links to mental health and wellbeing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003904 |
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