A Longitudinal Study of the Relation between Support Reciprocity and Mental Health: Focusing on the Early Stage of Friendship Development among College Students

Abstract

This study longitudinally examined the relation between support reciprocity and mental health among college students, focusing on the early stage of friendship development. A total of 106 first-year college students (51 male and 55 female) completed measures of support exchange in a new friendship, mental health (general distress), and relationship intimacy at one week (T1), two weeks (T2), four weeks (T3), and three months (T4) after entering college. In students whose relationship with their new friend remained superficial at T4, support reciprocity was not significantly correlated with general distress at any time point. In contrast, in students whose relationship grew closer at T4, support reciprocity was significantly related to lower general distress at T3 and T4, in line with the whole sample cases.