Full metadata
Title
Understanding the role of social support in the association between loneliness and well-being for STEM graduate students
Description
As women enter STEM fields they are often presented with chilly climates. The chilly climate refers to incidents of sexism, isolation, and pressure to prove themselves to peers and higher level academics (Callister, 2006; Hall & Sandler, 1982). For women of color, the status of being a double minority can intensify the psychological distress experienced by students (Joseph, 2012; Ong, 2011; Malcom, Hall, & Brown, 1976). For minority populations in STEM, loneliness is experienced due to lack of belonging and social isolation (Morris & Daniel, 2008; Walton & Cohen, 2007). This study sought to investigate whether social support could serve as a protective factor in the negative relationship between loneliness and psychological well-being (Cohen, 2004; Lawson, 2001; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) for those who hold a minority status. In addition, this study explored differences in the associations between loneliness, social support, and psychological well being and whether or not the moderation relationships were different for sub-groups based on gender or ethnic minority status. Cross-sectional data from 205 STEM graduate students was collected through an online study. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the buffering effects (Barron & Kenny, 1986) of global social support (total support from friends, family, and significant others) and family social support specifically. Model results suggested that global social support buffers the negative associations between loneliness and psychological well-being for less lonely minority participants in the study. Family social support buffered the associations of loneliness on psychological well-being for men with less loneliness. An unexpected finding in the present study revealed that for men and non –minority participants with high loneliness, psychological well-being decreased as family support increased. These results highlight the need for further research exploring through which mechanisms social support works as a buffer against loneliness in the sub-groups within STEM graduate student populations. The findings of this study could inform practices focused on the recruitment and retention of underrepresented STEM graduate students.
Date Created
2017
Contributors
- Anderson, Mercedes (Author)
- Bernstein, Bianca L. (Thesis advisor)
- Randall, Ashley K. (Committee member)
- Tracey, Terence (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Topical Subject
- Counseling psychology
- Graduate students--Mental health.
- Graduate students
- Graduate students--Social networks.
- Graduate students
- Graduate students in science--Mental health.
- Graduate students in science
- Graduate students in science--Social networks.
- Graduate students in science
- Graduate students in engineering--Mental health.
- Graduate students in engineering
- Graduate students in engineering--Social networks.
- Graduate students in engineering
Resource Type
Extent
vi, 94 pages : illustrations
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Peer-reviewed
No
Open Access
No
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.48448
Statement of Responsibility
by Mercedes Anderson
Description Source
Viewed on January 3, 2020
Level of coding
full
Note
thesis
Partial requirement for: M.A., Arizona State University, 2017
bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 51-58)
Field of study: Counseling
System Created
- 2018-04-30 01:09:24
System Modified
- 2021-08-26 09:47:01
- 3 years 2 months ago
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