Support by Parents, Classmates, Friends and Siblings in Preadolescence: Covariation and Compensation Across Relationships

Abstract

A sample of 139 Grade 6 students (12-year-olds) completed a social network interview and rated their network members on various dimensions of social support. Low support showed some consistency across members of the nuclear family but was fairly specific for particular network members outside of the family. Children with low support from their mother, father or classmates reported a low general self-worth, but those with low support from siblings or nonschool peers did not. Low support by one parent could only be compensated for by a supportive relationship with the other parent. Low support by a classmate was not compensated by supportive siblings or nonschool peers. These findings underscore the relationship specificity of social support and of its relation to self-esteem in preadolescence.