The Mediating Effects of Social Support and Coping on the Stress-Depression Relationship in Rural and Urban Adolescents

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between potential risk and protective factors for depression among 167 girls and 343 boys in urban and rural areas of NSW, Australia. The risk and protective factors included social support, coping style, and perceived stress. The results indicated no significant differences in depression and risk and protective factors for rural and urban adolescents. Maladaptive coping (rumination and acting out) and social support (satisfaction and number of supporters) were partial mediators of the relationship between perceived stress and depression with the overall model explaining 66% of the variance in depression. Thus changes to coping and to social support network need to be addressed in any intervention aimed at reducing the impact of perceived stress on depression in adolescents.