Perceived social support as a moderator of loneliness and depressive symptoms among university students

This study examined the relationship between AI companionship- operationalized as attachment anxiety and avoidance toward AI- and psychological well-being among 50 Gen Z adults (aged 18-29) in India. Using the Experiences in Human-AI Relationships Scale (EHARS) and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, the study found no significant associations between attachment to AI and well-being. These findings, though limited by sample size and design constraints, contribute to the growing literature on human-AI relationships in non-Western contexts.

Psychological distress during young adulthood may be influenced by early emotional experiences and current interpersonal relationships. The current study investigates the relationship between childhood emotional neglect, peer support and psychological distress in young adults. A quantitative research design was used with 200 participants aged 18-25 years selected through purposive sampling from educational institutions of Lahore. Childhood emotional neglect, peer support and psychological distress were measured with the Childhood Emotional Neglect Questionnaire (CENQ), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived social support (MSPSS), and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), respectively. Data were analyzed using Pearson- product moment correlation, hierarchical regression, PROCESS moderation analysis and one way ANOVA. Childhood emotional neglect was significantly and positively associated with psychological distress while peer support was not significantly and directly associated with psychological distress. Hierarchical regression indicates that psychological distress was significantly predicted by childhood emotional neglect, while peer support was not a significant direct predictor. The regression model explained 12.5% of variance in psychological distress. Moderation analysis showed significant interaction effects of friends’ support (P= .017) and family support (P= .032), indicating that these sources of support moderated the relationship between childhood emotional neglect and psychological distress. There were significant socio-economic differences for childhood emotional and peer support, but not for psychological distress. The findings highlight the importance of considering childhood emotional experiences and interpersonal resources when understanding psychological distress among young adults.

This study explored attachment-related responses and self-reported relationship experiences among adults. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire; the supplied response file contained 57 records. The questionnaire included demographic questions, 12 attachment-related statements, six relationship-experience statements, and an optional open-ended question about healthy relationships. Descriptive statistics were calculated. For exploratory analysis, four items concerning fear of rejection and reassurance were averaged into an anxiety-related index, and four items concerning emotional disclosure, closeness, and independence were averaged into an avoidance-related index. These researcher-created indices are not validated psychological scales. Spearman rank correlations were used to examine associations with relationship-experience ratings. The six-item relationship-experience composite had a mean of 3.65 on a 1-5 scale. The anxiety-related index was positively associated with the composite (ρ = .315, p = .017), as was the avoidance-related index (ρ = .430, p = .001), contrary to the initially anticipated negative direction. Since the items were not validated, no reverse-scoring was applied, and the sample was a convenience sample with uneven demographic representation, these findings must be interpreted cautiously. They do not establish causation or justify classifying individuals by attachment style.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic created social disruptions, leading to high levels of mental health problems for adolescents. Interpersonal stressors, such as lack of familial support, peer victimization, and discrimination, may have further exacerbated teen mental health issues. Yet, the psychological impact of interpersonal stressors and their interactive effects with high levels of loneliness remains unknown. In this pre-registered study , conducted in November and December 2020 (approximately eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic), we used a diverse sample of adolescents from across 43 U.S. states with elevated depressive symptoms (n = 2,452, ages 13–16) to examine how familial support, peer victimization, and discrimination are concurrently associated with mental health outcomes. Results indicated that perceived discrimination was the strongest standardized correlate across continuous internalizing outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and hopelessness), whereas lack of familial support was the primary correlate of suicidal ideation; if youth reported a lack of familial support, they were over three times as likely to report suicidal ideation. Loneliness significantly moderated the cross-sectional links between lack of familial support and depressive symptoms, as well as perceived discrimination and hopelessness. Simple slope probing demonstrated a distress ceiling effect: interpersonal stressors were most strongly associated with elevated distress among youth reporting low baseline loneliness, whereas youth experiencing high loneliness exhibited consistently elevated distress regardless of stressor exposure. These findings underscore interpersonal stressors and loneliness as high-priority targets for youth prevention and intervention programs, particularly during periods of widespread social disruption.