The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support
Adolescence is a critical period for developing interpersonal relationships and plays a significant role in the growth of subjective well-being. Establishing positive friendships is one of the most important predictors of subjective well-being. This study employs a longitudinal method, tracking Chin...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/480 |
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| author | Runqing Li Wenhu Xu Hongyu Nie Weida Zhang |
| author_facet | Runqing Li Wenhu Xu Hongyu Nie Weida Zhang |
| author_sort | Runqing Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adolescence is a critical period for developing interpersonal relationships and plays a significant role in the growth of subjective well-being. Establishing positive friendships is one of the most important predictors of subjective well-being. This study employs a longitudinal method, tracking Chinese adolescents to investigate the impact of individuals’ number of close friends on subjective well-being by examining the chain mediating roles of interpersonal trust and perceived social support. Data were collected from 987 junior high school students across five schools in Shandong Province and analysed using SPSS 27.0. The results indicate that the number of close friends at Time 1 (T1) significantly positively affects the level of subjective well-being at Time 3 (T3). At Time 2 (T2), perceived social support mediates the relationship between the number of close friends at T1 and subjective well-being at T3. Furthermore, the number of close friends at T1 has a longitudinal mediating effect on subjective well-being at T3. This effect is mediated by interpersonal trust and perceived social support at T2. This study reveals the mechanisms by which the number of close friends influences subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents. The findings highlight the significance of fostering healthy interpersonal relationships among adolescents in China. This can be achieved by promoting initiatives that enhance levels of interpersonal trust and perceived social support within communities, thereby improving overall subjective well-being among adolescents |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-836c00d21e074a079c689d8a4f012780 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-836c00d21e074a079c689d8a4f0127802025-08-20T02:17:19ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-04-0115448010.3390/bs15040480The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social SupportRunqing Li0Wenhu Xu1Hongyu Nie2Weida Zhang3School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, No. 27 Shandanan Road, Licheng District, Jinan 250100, ChinaInstitute of Population Research, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, ChinaInstitute of Population Research, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, ChinaSchool of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, No. 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang 330224, ChinaAdolescence is a critical period for developing interpersonal relationships and plays a significant role in the growth of subjective well-being. Establishing positive friendships is one of the most important predictors of subjective well-being. This study employs a longitudinal method, tracking Chinese adolescents to investigate the impact of individuals’ number of close friends on subjective well-being by examining the chain mediating roles of interpersonal trust and perceived social support. Data were collected from 987 junior high school students across five schools in Shandong Province and analysed using SPSS 27.0. The results indicate that the number of close friends at Time 1 (T1) significantly positively affects the level of subjective well-being at Time 3 (T3). At Time 2 (T2), perceived social support mediates the relationship between the number of close friends at T1 and subjective well-being at T3. Furthermore, the number of close friends at T1 has a longitudinal mediating effect on subjective well-being at T3. This effect is mediated by interpersonal trust and perceived social support at T2. This study reveals the mechanisms by which the number of close friends influences subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents. The findings highlight the significance of fostering healthy interpersonal relationships among adolescents in China. This can be achieved by promoting initiatives that enhance levels of interpersonal trust and perceived social support within communities, thereby improving overall subjective well-being among adolescentshttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/480number of close friendssubjective well-beingperceived social supportinterpersonal trustChinese adolescents |
| spellingShingle | Runqing Li Wenhu Xu Hongyu Nie Weida Zhang The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support Behavioral Sciences number of close friends subjective well-being perceived social support interpersonal trust Chinese adolescents |
| title | The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support |
| title_full | The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support |
| title_fullStr | The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support |
| title_short | The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support |
| title_sort | longitudinal relationship between close friendship and subjective well being the chain mediation model of interpersonal trust and perceived social support |
| topic | number of close friends subjective well-being perceived social support interpersonal trust Chinese adolescents |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/480 |
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