Effects of self-efficacy and social support on the mental health conditions of mutual-aid organization members

The present study examined the effects of self-efficacy and social support on the mental health of 65 members of a mutual-aid organization in Hong Kong. Participants had anxiety and depressive problems and had received cognitive-behavioral treatment before they joined the mutual-aid groups in the organization. A three-wave design was adopted, and participants filled in measures including the General Health Questionnaire, the State Anxiety Inventory, the Centre of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the General Self-efficacy Scale, and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Regression analyses showed that residualized self-efficacy was a strong predictor of the mental health variables. Effects of social support, both functional and structural, were mainly mediated by self-efficacy.