The Mediating Effects of Peer Relationship and Self-Esteem on the Relations Between Subjective Socioeconomic Status and Subjective Well-Being for High School Students

Abstract

To explore senior high school students’ subjective socioeconomic status influence on their subjective well-being, and the role of self-esteem and peer relationships in it, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 394 high school students from the first grade to the third grade in Beijing using the Adolescent Subjective Socioeconomic Status Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, Adolescent Peer Relationship Scale, and Subjective Well-being Scale. The results show that: (1) Subjective socioeconomic status can positively predict subjective well-being; (2) Self-esteem and peer relationship play a completely mediating role in the relationship between subjective socioeconomic status and subjective well-being. Therefore, the improvement of high school students’ subjective well-being can be achieved through the dual path of intervening in students’ self-esteem level and improving their peer relationships.

Keywords:

• Peer relationship
• self-esteem
• senior high school students
• subjective socioeconomic status
• subjective well-being

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bing Gao

Bing Gao and Jiaxi Wang are affiliated with the School of Education, Minzu University of China, Beijing.

Jiaxi Wang

Bing Gao and Jiaxi Wang are affiliated with the School of Education, Minzu University of China, Beijing.