The correlation between perceived social support and mental health among adolescent street children

This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between perceived social support and mental health among adolescent street children. Perceived social support measured by adapting Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) that developed by Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, and Farley (1988) and mental health measured by Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) that developed by Keyes (2002). Data was analyzed by using Pearson Correlation. A sample of 60 adolescent street children in Jakarta, Bogor, and Depok, cities in Indonesia participating in this study. The result shows positive and significant correlation between perceived social support and mental health (r = 0.377, n = 60, p < 0.01, two tailed). Most of participant have families and maintain contact with their families by returning home. Most of them assumed that parent as significant others of their life.