The role of parental and peer support in adolescents well-being: a comparison of adolescents with and without a visual impairment

In the present study we examined the importance of parental and peer support for well-being of adolescents with and without a visual impairment. The sample included 178 adolescents who are blind or visually impaired and 338 adolescents without visual impairments. Peer and parental support proved to be important for well-being of both adolescents with a visual impairment and sighted adolescents. Whereas in the group of adolescents with a visual impairment, a positive linear relationship exists between peer support and well-being, in the group of adolescents without an impairment well-being appears not be affected by peer support. Parental support is more strongly related to well-being of adolescents without impairments than of adolescents who are blind or visually impaired. (C) 2004 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.