• Daljeet Kaur
• Dr. Tirath Singh

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to examine whether secondary school students’ well-being differs significantly across three levels of perceived social support (high, average, and low). A quantitative descriptive comparative survey design was adopted. The sample comprised 969 secondary school students drawn through stratified random sampling from three districts of Punjab selected on the basis of literacy rate—Hoshiarpur (high), Patiala (average), and Mansa (low). Well-being was measured using the Well-Being Scale (Singh & Gupta, 2001), while perceived social support was assessed through a self-developed Social Support Scale (2022). Students were categorized into high (n = 245), average (n = 486), and low (n = 238) social support groups using the ±1 QD method. Results indicated that well-being was highest among students with high social support (M = 203.01, SD = 15.523), followed by average (M = 195.51, SD = 15.106) and low support groups (M = 190.57, SD = 14.836). One-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in well-being across the three groups, showing a clear graded relationship between social support and well-being. The findings highlight social support as a meaningful protective factor for adolescent well-being and underscore the need for school-based strategies such as strengthening teacher–student relationships, peer support systems, counselling provisions, and parent–school collaboration to enhance students’ well-being outcomes.

Student well-being, social support, adolescence, secondary school students.

"PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AS A DIFFERENTIATOR OF STUDENT WELL-BEING AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no.f498-f504, January-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2601574.pdf

"PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AS A DIFFERENTIATOR OF STUDENT WELL-BEING AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no. ppf498-f504, January-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2601574.pdf