Exploring the Mechanisms Behind Well-Being: Social Support and Basic Psychological Needs

Abstract

This study explores how social support and basic psychological needs influence the well-being of college students in Shandong, China. The primary objective of this research is to offer practical recommendations for improving the well-being of college students. The study involved surveys administered to 288 university students from three universities in Shandong, China. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS v22.0 and SmartPLS 4 software. Notably, the results showed that college students scored an average of (22.48 ± 5.40) for well-being. Moreover, the research correlation results indicated a strong positive relationship between social support and well-being (r = 0.732, p < 0.01), as well as between basic psychological needs and well-being (r = 0.748, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the path coefficients for social support and basic psychological needs concerning well-being were statistically significant (p < 0.05), with values of β = 0.413 and β = 0.444. In conclusion, this study has identified significant well-being predictors among Shandong University students in China.