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The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship between Positive Emotionality, Perceived Social Support, and Psychological Well-Being among University Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

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Title: The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship between Positive Emotionality, Perceived Social Support, and Psychological Well-Being among University Students: A Mixed-Methods Study
Language: English
Authors: Liang Hu (ORCID 0000-0003-2299-5531), Xiaolu Fan (ORCID 0009-0002-6539-6635), Yanling Tang (ORCID 0009-0004-6198-5584), Bo Zhan, Yi Zhu (ORCID 0009-0007-9775-2821), Yanjun Chen
Source: SAGE Open. 2025 15(4).
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, Student Welfare, Mental Health, Positive Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Psychological Patterns, Social Support Groups, Resilience (Psychology), Affective Measures
Geographic Terms: China
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Positive and Negative Affect Schedule
DOI: 10.1177/21582440251385869
ISSN: 2158-2440
Abstract: University students worldwide face significant stressors affecting their psychological well-being, yet there is a need for a more comprehensive understanding of how individual emotional strengths, social resources, and adaptive capacities interact, particularly within diverse cultural contexts such as Mainland China. This mixed-methods study addresses this gap by investigating the relationships among positive emotionality, perceived social support, resilience, and psychological well-being in a sample of 564 undergraduate students from Mainland China. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the research provides a comprehensive exploration of how these factors contribute to students' well-being. Quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized mediation model. The SEM results revealed that both positive emotionality and perceived social support significantly predicted psychological well-being, with resilience serving as a partial mediator for both relationships within the integrated model. Positive emotionality had a direct effect on well-being, with resilience accounting for 41.6% of its total impact, while perceived social support explained 43.8% of its effect through resilience. The qualitative phase, based on thematic analysis of 32 semi-structured interviews, offered deeper insights into these relationships, highlighting key themes such as emotional regulation, the role of relational support networks, resilience development through academic challenges, and proactive mental health practices. The findings have both theoretical and practical implications, particularly in supporting the development of resilience-building interventions for university students.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1495683
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship between Positive Emotionality, Perceived Social Support, and Psychological Well-Being among University Students: A Mixed-Methods Study
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liang+Hu%22">Liang Hu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2299-5531">0000-0003-2299-5531</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiaolu+Fan%22">Xiaolu Fan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6539-6635">0009-0002-6539-6635</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yanling+Tang%22">Yanling Tang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6198-5584">0009-0004-6198-5584</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bo+Zhan%22">Bo Zhan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yi+Zhu%22">Yi Zhu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9775-2821">0009-0007-9775-2821</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yanjun+Chen%22">Yanjun Chen</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22SAGE+Open%22"><i>SAGE Open</i></searchLink>. 2025 15(4).
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Welfare%22">Student Welfare</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Positive+Attitudes%22">Positive Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Support+Groups%22">Social Support Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resilience+%28Psychology%29%22">Resilience (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affective+Measures%22">Affective Measures</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
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  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Positive+and+Negative+Affect+Schedule%22">Positive and Negative Affect Schedule</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/21582440251385869
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  Data: 2158-2440
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  Data: University students worldwide face significant stressors affecting their psychological well-being, yet there is a need for a more comprehensive understanding of how individual emotional strengths, social resources, and adaptive capacities interact, particularly within diverse cultural contexts such as Mainland China. This mixed-methods study addresses this gap by investigating the relationships among positive emotionality, perceived social support, resilience, and psychological well-being in a sample of 564 undergraduate students from Mainland China. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the research provides a comprehensive exploration of how these factors contribute to students' well-being. Quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized mediation model. The SEM results revealed that both positive emotionality and perceived social support significantly predicted psychological well-being, with resilience serving as a partial mediator for both relationships within the integrated model. Positive emotionality had a direct effect on well-being, with resilience accounting for 41.6% of its total impact, while perceived social support explained 43.8% of its effect through resilience. The qualitative phase, based on thematic analysis of 32 semi-structured interviews, offered deeper insights into these relationships, highlighting key themes such as emotional regulation, the role of relational support networks, resilience development through academic challenges, and proactive mental health practices. The findings have both theoretical and practical implications, particularly in supporting the development of resilience-building interventions for university students.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1495683
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        Value: 10.1177/21582440251385869
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 20
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Welfare
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      – SubjectFull: Positive Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: China
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      – SubjectFull: Positive and Negative Affect Schedule
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