The investigation of the relationship between perceived social support and life satisfaction with depression on a group of the teachers

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived social support (family, friend, special person) and the degree of the life satisfaction by a group of the teachers, in order to determine whether the level of depression has a mediating role. Method: The study included 300 teachers working in primary, secondary and high school levels in private and state schools in Çekmeköy District of Istanbul province. In this study, 'Sociodemographic Features and Data Form', 'Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support', 'Life Satisfaction Scale' and 'Beck Depression Inventory' were used. The results were analyzed using the SPSS program and data were analyzed using independent sample t-test, one-way variance analysis (One Way ANOVA), correlation and mediation analysis. Results: In the findings of the study, there was a significant difference between teachers' perceived social support, life satisfaction also depression levels and gender. The level of depression of divorced teachers was found to be higher than married teachers. There was no significant difference between age, type of school, level of education and additional income with teachers' perceived social support, life satisfaction and depression levels. There was a positive significantly relationship between perceived social support and life satisfaction. There was a found to be a positive significantly relationship between perceived social support and life satisfaction. There was a found to be a negative significantly relationship between perceived social support and depression. At the same time, a negative significantly relationship was found to be between depression and the level of the life satisfaction. Depression have a partial mediation role on the relationship between perceived social support and life satisfaction was to be determined. Conclusion: In the study, it was seen that, when social support perceived by teachers increased, also life satisfaction increased. Also, when teachers' perceived social support incresed, their depression levels decreased was to be found. To sum up, depression has a partially mediation role in the relationship between perceived social support and life satisfaction by teachers. Key Words: Perceived Social Support, Life Satisfaction, Depression, Teacher