This study of social support found that within the context of a traumatic injury, cumulative social support, as opposed to a specific relationship, is most relevant for mental health outcomes.
The results of this study investigating whether support from a significant other, family, friend, and/or a general support factor were associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and alcohol misuse among young adults who visited the ED for a traumatic injury suggest that within the context of a traumatic injury, cumulative social support is most relevant for mental health outcomes as opposed to a specific relationship. While the findings do not suggest that different supports are uniquely associated with mental health symptoms, higher levels of general support was significantly associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms, but not alcohol misuse. It may be that those with higher levels of cumulative social support from several sources can rely on multiple individuals when they encounter stressors, reducing the likelihood of depressive and anxiety symptoms. This study examined social support as a factor that could mitigate the development and severity of mental health symptoms among young adults who visited the ED for traumatic injury. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine whether parent, peer, significant other, or a general social support is uniquely associated with mental health symptoms among young adults visiting the ED for a traumatic injury. Data were collected in accordance with the university’s institutional review board (IRB). Participants were young adults between the ages of 18–30 who visited the ED with a traumatic injury at a large hospital in the Southeast between September 2016–July 2018. Individuals meeting these inclusion criteria were contacted asking them whether they would be interested in participating, involving completing the 30–45 min survey and allowing staff to access medical records. (Published Abstract Provided)