The double-edged effect of social mobility belief on socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents’ health: The mediating role of intentional self-regulation.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the double-edged effect of social mobility belief on socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents' mental and physical health and further explore whether intentional selfregulation is the common psychological mechanism of social mobility belief affecting physical and mental health. Method: A total of 469 adolescents (M age = 13.96 years, 49.3% boys) from two rural public schools in China were included in this study. Adolescents completed questionnaires measuring social mobility belief and mental health (life satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression). Physical health (allostatic load) was reflected by six indicators (resting diastolic and systolic blood pressure, body mass index, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol). Results: Social mobility belief was positively correlated with adolescents' life satisfaction and self-esteem but negatively correlated with depression. Intentional self-regulation mediated the relationships between social mobility belief and mental health. In addition, the results showed that intentional self-regulation mediated the relationship between social mobility belief and adolescents' physical health. Conclusions: Social mobility belief may be a "skin-deep" resilience resource positively related to mental health but negatively correlated with physical health through intentional self-regulation among socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents. Public Significance StatementSocial mobility belief has a double-edged effect on socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents' mental and physical health; that is, it is positively related to mental health through goal-directed self-regulation but negatively related to physical health. It is important to explore the factors that block or mitigate the adverse effects of social mobility beliefs on the health of disadvantaged adolescents in China and worldwide.