SOCIAL SUPPORT AS A BUFFER AGAINST LONELINESS, STRESS, AND DEPRESSION IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

This study aims to examine the role of social support as a protector against loneliness, stress, and depression in college students in Indonesia. The approach used is quantitative with a quasi-experimental method, involving 291 active students from various universities. The sample was taken using a purposive sampling technique, with the criteria being active students and willing to fill out the questionnaire online. The instrument was compiled based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping theory. (Schaefer et al., 1981)and this study was analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique through SmartPLS software. The results showed that stress had a significant effect on students' perceptions of social support, while loneliness and depression did not show a direct effect. This study supports the buffering theory(Brann et al., 2022), which states that social support has an effective role in the early stages of stress, but is less effective when individuals have experienced chronic psychological conditions such as depression and loneliness. This study emphasizes the importance of early intervention based on social support to prevent mental health deterioration among college students.