Multidimensional social support and depressive symptoms in college students: direct associations and stress-buffering roles

College students frequently experience high stress and depressive symptoms, both of which undermine academic and personal well-being. This study examined the direct and buffering roles of multidimensional social support in the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms among 320 undergraduates at a large U.S. university. Participants completed validated measures of perceived stress, social support, and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that perceived stress significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β = 0.51, p < .01). Of the five social support subscales, reassurance of worth (β = − 0.19, p < .01) and social integration (β = − 0.12, p < .05) were directly associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Moreover, social integration buffered the stress-depressive symptoms association, such that higher integration was associated with fewer depressive symptoms under high stress (β = − 0.10, p < .05). The full model explained 55% of the variance in depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the value of viewing social support as a multidimensional construct and suggest that interventions fostering belonging and affirming competence may help reduce depressive symptoms and support student well-being.