Review of Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Studies between Number of Confidants and Anxiety/Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Social support is known as a protective and buffer factor for mental health problems. One of the significant types of social support is in the form of a confidant whom one can talk to about personal problems; help from a confidant provides a buffer for stress and may provide improvements for mental health. This study systematically reviews Studies of a relationship between the number of confidants and the risk of anxiety/depressive symptoms. Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, CiNii, ICHUSHI Web) were searched in December 2019, with 14 out of 341 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that individuals who have few or no confidants are more likely to have depressive symptoms, or higher severity of depressive symptoms. Having few or no confidants was also associated with anxiety symptoms, although only two studies examined this relationship. These results suggest that those who have few or no confidants are at high risk of having mental health problems and may require more social support.