Family cohesion and social adjustment of chinese university students: the mediating effects of sense of security and personal relationships

Abstract

Many university students in China find university life challenging and do not adapt well to the transition (Pan et al. 2016). To address these challenges this study extends understanding of the influences of family cohesion on university students’ social adjustment. The study tested the mediating effect of sense of security and interpersonal disturbance. A sample of 728 Chinese university students (345 males and 383 females with a mean age of 20.62 years) was surveyed using the Family Cohesion Scale, Sense of Security Scale, Relationship Comprehensive Assessment Questionnaire, and Social Adjustment Questionnaire. The findings supported the hypotheses that family cohesion impacted social adjustment through university students’ sense of security and interpersonal disturbance. Family cohesion and sense of security were protective factors and disturbance in interpersonal relationship was a risk factor for social adjustment. Sense of security mediated the relationship between family cohesion and social adjustment; interpersonal disturbance mediated the relationship between family cohesion and social adjustment; sense of security and interpersonal disturbance played serial multiple mediating roles in the relationship between family cohesion and social adjustment. Application of these results might support the development of effective strategies to promote the social adjustment of university students during their transition to full adulthood.