Purpose. The presence, perceived or real, of social support has an important effect on well-being, such that individuals with high levels of social support have increased levels of well-being, and decreased mental health... [ view full abstract ]
Purpose. The presence, perceived or real, of social support has an important effect on well-being, such that individuals with high levels of social support have increased levels of well-being, and decreased mental health disparities and stress levels. Social class further plays a role in stress levels, with lower socioeconomic status correlated with increased daily stress; while the effect of social support on stress is well documented, no research to date has focused on the effects of in-group and out-group of social class on perceived social support levels.
Method. Participants from a rural university in the southeastern United States volunteered to take an online survey. During the survey, participants were asked demographic questions before being split into a control and experimental group, reading two different vignettes before continuing on to answer questions on social support.
Results. We will be examining the results of the social support survey and compare between the control group and the experimental group.
Discussion/Future Research. Discussion based on social support theories and classism theories will be discussed in light of the results. Future research will focus on the relationship of social support and financial strain, and perceived class interactions, as well as other areas that might seem limited in our research and results.
