The more the better? The relationship between mismatches in social support and subjective well-being in daily life.

In this study, we examined the relationship between discrepancies between desired and received support and subjective well-being, as indicated by negative affect and perceived stress, in daily life. Participants were 30 undergraduates who were equipped with hand-held computers for seven days. Results showed that underprovision of support predicted lower well-being, whereas overprovision was related to higher well-being, suggesting a linear relationship. Emotional support proved to be more influential than practical and informational support. In contrast to previous research, perceived social support turned out to be unrelated to well-being in daily life.