Objective: to explore the relationship between social support and mental
health of college students from single parent families. Methods: 600 college freshmen
in Guangxi were selected with stratified random sampling method and were surveyed
with SCL-90 and amended social support rating scale. The data were analyzed with
Independent sample t-test, correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: the college students of single-parent families scored lower than the college
students of two-parent families on the factors interpersonal sensitivity and terror,
and the difference was significant. There is a significant negative correlation between
the objective support factor, subjective support factor and total score of single-parent
family college students and SCL-90 factors. The availability factor for support is not
significantly related to the somatization factor and horror factor in SCL-90, but is
significantly negatively correlated with other factors. Three variables, total points,
utilization of support, and objective support enter the regression equation, and total
points have the greatest effect on the prediction of mental health. Conclusion: there is
no significant difference between the mental health level of single-parent family college students and that of two-parent family college students. The total social support score
is the most important variable in predicting the mental health level of single-parent
family college students, followed by the utilization of support. Social support system is
an important factor that affects the mental health of college students in single-parent
families.