A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WELLBEING IN MALE AND FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

GHAEDI GH.H.*,YAGHOUBI H.
* DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE, SHAHED UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, TEHRAN, IRAN

Introduction & Objective: previous studies suggest that satisfactory social support leads to physical health and psychological well-being. The aim of the present study was to investigate the gender differences in relation betweens different dimensions of perceived social support and different aspects of well-being in Iranian University Students.
Materials & Methods: This analytical study was conducted, using three different groups of students. Students were selected among the students of Tehran University and Allame Tabatabayi university, in 2007. Students were asked to complete perceived social support, positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction, and psychological and social well-being scales. All the students voluntarily completed and returned the questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data using SPSS software.
Results: It was found that, social support measures are better predictors for life satisfaction and affect balance in girls compared with boys. Moreover, perceived social support from family plays a more important role in girls when it comes to prediction of psychological and social well-being. In contrast, perceived social support from friends plays the same role in boys. Finally, perceived social support from special person and colleagues’ faculty can not significantly predict aspects of well-being.
Conclusion: there were gender differences in addition to similarities in the relation between aspects of perceived social support and aspects of well-being. Some aspects of perceived social support predict well-being better in boys and some others are better for prediction of well-being in girls.