Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Project Title

Does Social Support Diminish Depression in Students? Evidence from Athletes and Greek Life

Authors

Benjamin Chartoff, Eastern Kentucky UniversityFollow
Myra Beth Bundy, Eastern Kentucky UniversityFollow

Domain

Social Sciences

Abstract

Depression and stress are extremely prevalent in college students. The goal of the current study was to examine if social support from athletic teams and fraternities or sororities are related to lower levels of depression and stress than that found in students normally. Participants (N=134) were asked to fill out a questionnaire with scales of depression, stress and social support. It was hypothesized that members of Greek life and student-athletes will show higher levels of social support and lower levels of depression compared to a control group of students. The results supported these hypotheses and suggest that joining social groups might be an answer to creating a healthier lifestyle in college.

Recommended Citation

Chartoff, Benjamin and Bundy, Myra Beth (2017) "Does Social Support Diminish Depression in Students? Evidence from Athletes and Greek Life," Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://encompass.eku.edu/kjus/vol1/iss1/6