Perceived social support as a moderator of loneliness and depressive symptoms among university students
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: University students who live away from their families may experience loneliness and depressive symptoms, while perceived social support may alter this relationship. This study examined the associations among loneliness, perceived social support, and depressive symptoms and tested whether perceived social support moderated the loneliness-depressive symptoms relationship. A cross-sectional quantitative design involved 396 university students living in boarding houses in Yogyakarta. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and moderated multiple regression. Perceived social support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Loneliness was also significantly associated with depressive symptoms, but the direction was negative and therefore did not support the proposed positive hypothesis. The interaction between loneliness and perceived social support was significant, indicating that the loneliness slope differed across levels of support. The findings highlight the relevance of perceived social support for student mental health while also showing that the unexpected loneliness pattern requires cautious interpretation and replication.
Source: Cognicia
Author: Shabrina Galuh Dewanti
Institution: Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang
Language: English
Topic: Student Stress and Coping
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7225005725