Perceived Social Support and Life Satisfaction of Malaysian Chinese Young Adults: The Mediating Effect of Loneliness

Abstract

This paper examined the role of loneliness in mediating the relation between social support and life satisfaction among Chinese young adults within the Malaysian context. Young adults (N = 275; Mage = 22.41; SD = 1.76; 57.5% females) completed self-administered questionnaires on the scales of perceived social support, loneliness and life satisfaction. The results of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) showed a partial mediation effect of loneliness on the relation between social support and life satisfaction. The integration of the bottom-up theory of subjective well-being and social cognitive theory is included to explain the mediating process. The results revealed that perceived social support can relate to a lower level of loneliness, which could eventually lead to higher levels of young adults’ life satisfaction. Overall, the findings highlighted the importance of social support as well as their loneliness as a mediating pathway in promoting Malaysian Chinese young adults’ life satisfaction. Interventions are also suggested to optimize life satisfaction as a whole.

Keywords:

• Chinese
• life satisfaction
• loneliness
• perceived social support
• young adults

Acknowledgments

The authors would also like to thank the guest editor and anonymous reviewers for their contribution to this review.

Disclosure statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

This is a self-funded research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Su-Wan Gan

Su-Wan Gan is an assistant professor at the Department of Psychology and Counselling, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. She obtained her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Universiti Putra Malaysia. Her research interest is on developmental psychology, family studies, and child and adolescent development outcomes.

Lean Suat Ong

Lean Suat Ong is a practicing mental health consultant who is currently doing her Doctoral studies in Psychology at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. Her research interest includes gerontology, women’s studies, positive psychology and health. She is also a published author of two self-help books.

Choy Hua Lee

Choy Hua Lee was an undergraduate student who studies Bachelor degree (Hons) in Psychology at Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Her research interest is on life satisfaction, social support and loneliness.

Yee Sin Lin

Yee Sin Lin was an undergraduate student who studies Bachelor degree (Hons) in Psychology at Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. His research interest is on life satisfaction, social support and loneliness.