Residential crowding, psychological distress and the mediating role of social support among dormitory residents

Pages: 410-416
Neethu P. S. and Surendra Kumar Sia (Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry)

The study examines the mediating effect of social support in the relationship between residential crowding and psychological distress among dormitory residents. We collected data from 227 university students who were staying in quadrupled dormitories, by using three self report measures. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was carried out to develop the measurement model. The CFA of residential crowding scale suggested a single factor model instead of a four factor model. The three dimensional social support scale were turned into two dimensional. As well as, the ten item psychological distress scale retained eight items. Furthermore, the mediation analysis carried out using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) reports that social support mediates the relationship between crowding and psychological distress. Our findings provide a basis for future interventions and practical implications.