SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG MALE UNDERGRADUATES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Although researchers have conducted multiple studies on social support among male undergraduates, a gap was identified in the lack of systematic reviews of literature synthesizing their findings. The purpose in this systematic review was to obtain an understanding of recent findings on social support among male undergraduates. To identify relevant literature, a search strategy was developed consisting of six criteria for inclusion, which yielded a total of 30 studies from multiple databases. Findings showed an overall positive impact of social support on psychological outcomes, academic achievement, and technology use among male undergraduates. The findings also revealed a diverse range of sources of social support as well as variations based on gender. In addition to addressing the identified gap in the research, findings from the review may help teachers, educational policymakers, educators, and scholars identify relevant patterns that could be used to note important dimensions within which possible interventions could be introduced to promote desired outcomes.