Link – Family Support Reduces College Students’ Loneliness, Risk of Suicide
New research finds that family support matters, even for college kids. University of Michigan investigators discovered that when college students feel isolated and disconnected, support from family members can keep them from harming themselves during difficult times,
“Parents can serve as a first-line of defense in efforts to prevent or reduce the risk of suicide in students,” said Dr. Edward Chang, the study’s lead author and a professor of psychology and social work.
Yet more research that shows us that not only kids, but young adults who have a constant familial support system deal with the difficulties of going away not college better. Like children, 18 year olds going off to college are unlikely to have developed the social support network outside of the family, so it’s no wonder that not having that within your family makes it more likely that you would struggle with your mental health during a stressful change like this.
On the other hand, it also shows that regardless of what your family situation is, a robust support network is a great safeguard against depression. That should be the goal, learning how to develop that for each other!
