The Relationship Between Social Support and Ostracism Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Social Connectedness and the Moderating Role of Flourishing

Abstract

While social support is recognized as a protective factor against ostracism, its underlying psychological mechanisms remain unclear. This study empirically examined the relationship between social support and ostracism, and further tested the mediating role of social connectedness and the moderating effect of flourishing. A total of 723 college students (40.0% male) with a mean age of 19.39 years (SD = 0.91) were recruited in this study using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Ostracism Experience Scale for Adolescents, the Social Connectedness Scale, and the Flourishing Scale. The findings were as follows: (1) social support was significantly and negatively associated with ostracism; (2) social connectedness mediated the relationship between social support and ostracism; (3) flourishing moderated the relationship between social support and social connectedness; specifically, individuals with higher levels of flourishing may establish and maintain social connectedness using social support more effectively. This study contributes to the existing theoretical framework about the influencing factors of college students’ mental health but also provides new perspectives on mental health education and intervention strategies at school.