Core self-evaluations and coping styles as mediators between social support and well-being

Abstract

This study examined core self-evaluations (CSEs) and coping styles as mediators of the relationship between social support and well-being. Participants included 722 Chinese university students who completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Core Self-Evaluations Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Social support, CSEs, and positive coping were positively correlated with life satisfaction and positive affect and negatively correlated with negative affect. Negative coping was positively correlated with negative affect and negatively correlated with family support. CSEs and coping styles partially mediated the effects of social support on life satisfaction and positive affect. Furthermore, CSEs completely mediated the link between negative affect and social support. High social support improved self-evaluations; this, in turn, contributed to higher levels of well-being. Social support also decreased the negative effects of coping on life satisfaction and positive affect. Specifically, individuals with high social support were more likely to develop more positive and less negative coping; this resulted in higher levels of life satisfaction. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the relations between these factors. Future studies should examine the mediational model using multiple methods.