Perceived Social Support and Loneliness as Influencing Factors of Mental Well-Being in Adults

Abstract

Mental health is a significant aspect of the general health, and social factors have a profound impact on it. Among them, the sense of loneliness and the perceived social support play a very significant role in the psychological outcomes. This paper has examined the relationship between the mental health of people, their loneliness and the perceived social support of the people. The data collection was carried out through a cross-sectional survey that involved 200 individuals aged above 18 years and below 65 years. They were standardized instruments such as the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). The Pearson correlation analysis has shown that there is a significant positive correlation between mental well-being and perceived social support, but the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being is significant and negative. The findings reveal the detrimental effect of loneliness on the mental health of adults and the possibility of social support to prevent loneliness. Mental health may be enhanced through interventions that augment social support groups and reduce loneliness.