The Relationship Between the Dark Triad and Junior High School Students Satisfaction with School Life: the Chain Mediating Effect of Sense of Control and Sense of Meaning in Life

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

This study explored how dark triad characteristics affect junior middle school students satisfaction with school life, and further explored the chain mediating role of individual sense of control and sense of life meaning in this association. The study adopted standardized assessment tools, including the Twelve Dark triad questionnaire to measure the dark triad trait, combined with the sense of control scale, the sense of life meaning scale and the school life satisfaction questionnaire, to conduct a comprehensive survey of 416 junior high school students. The results showed that there was a significant negative correlation between the dark triad and junior middle school students sense of control, sense of meaning in life and school life satisfaction. Meanwhile, junior high school students sense of control, sense of life meaning and school life satisfaction are positively correlated. Further analysis reveals that the dark triad not only indirectly affects school life satisfaction through the single path of sense of control or sense of life meaning, but also has a profound impact through the chain mediation mechanism of the two. Specifically, this mediating effect accounts for 22.14% (only through sense of control), 22.54% (only through sense of life meaning) and 18.19% (through the combination of sense of control and sense of life meaning) of the total influence of dark triad on school life satisfaction, respectively. This finding highlights the importance of focusing on and intervening with dark triad characteristics in middle school students, and the value of enhancing sense of control and sense of meaning as potential avenues for improving school life satisfaction.