Numerous studies have established a relation between negative life events and psychological and physical health, however, these studies have focused on the consequences of life stress of psychological and physical functioning. The possibility that individuals may experience negative life events due to preexisting emotional dysfunctioning is recognized by several authors but has received little research attention. This study investigated the effects of prior symptoms on the experience of negative events and the role of received support in moderating this relation. Business administration students (N=120) completed questionnaires focusing on social support, daily hassles, and psychiatric symptoms. These results suggest that there is a mutually causative, reciprocal relationship between stressful events and distress and that models concerning the role of social support may need to consider the effect of support in coping with distress as well as with stress (negative events). Although the results indicated that received social support moderated the relationship between distress and negative events, support did not buffer the effects of distress but instead enhanced it. This later finding is consistent with previous research, which found that the mobilization of support (received support rather than perceived availability of support) represents an admission of the inability to cope. (Author/LLL)