The mediating role of self-efficacy and perceived social support between meaning in life and psychological well-being among young and middle-aged adults

Abstract

The study examined the comparisons of meaning in life, self-efficacy(general self-efficacy and social self-efficacy), perceived social support(support of emotion, information, substance, and estimation), psychological well-being mean-levels between cohorts of young and middle-aged adults, and the mediated role of self-efficacy and perceived social support in the relationship between meaning in life and psychological well-being in cohorts of young and middle-aged adults. The participants were 179 young adults(average age 22.8 years, 97 men, 82 women) and 206 middle-aged adults(average age 43.5 years, 114 men, 92 women) in Seoul, Ulsan, and Jochiwon city. The instrument used for this study were Meaning in Life Questionaire(Steger, Frazier, Oishi, & Kaler, 2004), Self-Efficacy Scale(Sherer, Maddux, Mercandante, Prentice-Dunn, Jacobs, & Rogers, 1982), Social support scales(Park, 1985), Psychological Well-Being Scale(Ryff, 1995). This results of this study were summarized as follows. First, Mean-level analyses, young adults reported significantly higher social self-efficacy, support of emotion, information, substance, and estimation compared to middle-aged adults. Second, meaning in life had a significant effect on psychological well-being in cohorts of young and middle-aged adults. Third, general self-efficacy, social self-efficacy and support of estimation mediated the effect of meaning in life on psychological well-being in cohorts of young and middle-aged adults.