The Importance of Family: The Impact of Social Support on Symptoms of Psychological Distress in African American Girls

The study examines social support and ego-resiliency as buffers for the development of symptoms of psychological distress of urban African American female adolescents. The participants were 136 high school students who resided in a large southern city. Students completed measures examining negative life events, family support, ego-resiliency, and symptoms of psychological distress. Although perceptions of social support from mothers were highest of all domains of support, support from fathers appeared to be especially important, in that girls with lower levels of ego-resiliency experienced fewer symptoms of psychological distress when perceptions of support from fathers were high. The results indicate that resilience in African American girls is associated with the combination of supportive family relationships as well as the ability to adjust to new and challenging environmental demands.