title: The influence of social support on ethnic differences in well-being and depression in adolescents: findings from the prospective Olympic Regeneration in East London (ORiEL) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the extent to which in adolescent positive mental well-being and depressive symptoms vary across ethnic groups, and prospectively examines whether social support is protective against low/poor well-being and depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal survey of 2426 adolescents from the Olympic Regeneration in East London study measured well-being and depressive symptoms at baseline at ages 11-12 and at follow-up two years later at ages 13-14. Social support was assessed at ages 11-12 years by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, by the level of parental support for school, by the frequency of family activities and by friendship choices. Ethnic differences in well-being and depression in Bangladeshi (N = 337) and Black African (N = 249) adolescents compared to their White UK counterparts (N = 380) were estimated adjusted stepwise for socio-demographic factors and domains of social support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Black African and Bangladeshi adolescents scored significantly higher for well-being than their White UK counterparts. There were no significant ethnic differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Lower levels of social support were prospectively associated with lower well-being and higher rates of depression in all ethnic groups. Adjustment for multiple domains of social support did not account for ethnic differences in well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bangladeshi and Black African adolescents in East London may have a positive mental health advantage over their White UK counterparts though social support did not fully explain this difference. Further investigation of the reasons for lower well-being in the White UK group is needed.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Old Anatomy Building, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK. n.r.smith@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Neil R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Old Anatomy Building, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK. c.clark@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Old Anatomy Building, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK. m.smuk@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK. steven.cummins@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cummins
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Old Anatomy Building, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK. s.a.stansfeld@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stansfeld
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Adolescents; Depression; Ethnicity; Social support; Well-being