The relationship between social support and subjective well-being across the lifespan

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine how social support measured as the subjective assessment of social support adequacy given by family, friends or significant others contributes to well-being (happiness, life satisfaction and domain satisfact-ions) across the life span. The study was conducted on a representative sample of the Croatian adult population (N = 1.000). For the purpose of analyses the sample was divided into three age groups: 18 to 40 years, 41 to 60 years, and 60+ years. The results were analyzed by means of multiple group structural equation modeling, which was performed separately for two measures of subjective well-being (SWB – a general measure of life satisfaction and happiness, PWI – domain satisfactions). The results showed that in all three age groups, among three sources of social support only the perceived social support from friends was significantly related to both subjective well-being measures. Participants who perceived adequate social support from friends expressed higher levels of subjective well-being.