title: The association between perceived social support, socio-economic status and mental health in young Malaysian adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine gender differences in mental health and perceived social support, relationship between parents' income and mental health, and differences in mental health across education levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 303 students aged 16 to 26 years were recruited from Selangor, Malaysia. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and General Health Questionnaire were used to measure the level of perceived social support and the mental health status. Demographic data, including education level and parents' income, were also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Females perceived significantly higher levels of overall social support than males (t = -2.7; p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in mental health status between males and females (t = -1.8; p > 0.05), as well as mental health status among different parental income groups (chi2 = 5.0; p > 0.05) and the education levels of the subjects (chi2 = 0.7; p > 0.05). A more favourable mental health status of the subjects was associated with higher parental incomes (r = -0.1; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were gender differences for perceived social support, but not for mental health status in older adolescents and young adults. There was also a relationship between parental income and an individual's mental health status, but mental health was not related to their education level.
authors.affiliation: Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 46150 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. tam.cai.lian@med.monash.edu.my
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Foo
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult