Description
The scope of this project was to investigate whether single parents and partnered parents differ in the amount of support deficits (i.e., a lack of received support relative to desired support) experienced across three categories of social support: emotional, tangible, and network—which acts as an umbrella support type for the others. This study also explores whether support deficiencies are associated with self-reports of common cold-like symptoms, socioeconomic status (SES), social anxiety, and loneliness. These investigations were meant to consider the potential influence of each of the previously mentioned variables on each support type for single and partnered parents. Results did not support most hypotheses, due to low sample size. Aside from the relationship status moderator’s interaction, loneliness was the only variable that showed significance amongst all three support types tested. Implications of communicative interpersonal skills being utilized to combat loneliness in order to have a positive impact when communicating gratitude and affection between individuals are discussed.
