Life satisfaction among racially/ethnically minoritized college students with disabilities: Examining three dimensions of social support.

Objective

The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between social support and life satisfaction for racially/ethnically minoritized (REM) college students with disabilities and to identify specific types of social support that have a larger effect on their life satisfaction.

Participants

Respondents included 66 REM college students with disabilities (Mage = 22.7, SD = 6.45).

Methods

Cross-sectional data were collected from university students in the spring of 2019. Hierarchical linear regression was employed to examine the effect of support from significant others, friends, and family on life satisfaction.

Results

Results of the analyses revealed that social support significantly predicted 47% of the variance in life satisfaction, with family support having the largest effect.

Conclusions

The results underscore the critical role of family support in enhancing life satisfaction for REM students with disabilities, highlighting the need for culturally and contextually sensitive support systems that prioritize familial engagement.