The Mediating Effect of Perceived Social Support on Mental Health and Life Satisfaction among Residents: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 8500 Subjects in Taian City, China

Abstract

Several studies have explored the relationship between mental health and life satisfaction. However, few studies have clarified the mechanisms underlying the relationship between mental health and life satisfaction among a large sample of the whole population. The aim of this study was to explore the mediating role of perceived social support between mental health and life satisfaction among the residents in Taian City, China. A total of 8500 residents were included in the analysis. A descriptive analysis was conducted to describe the sample characteristics. Pearson correlation was employed to explore the correlation between mental health and life satisfaction. The mediating role of perceived social support was analyzed using SPSS26.0. This study found that the residents’ average score of life satisfaction was 24.60 ± 4.12. Mental health was significantly correlated with perceived social support and life satisfaction. After adjusting for controlling variables, perceived social support played a partially mediating effect on mental health and life satisfaction, accounting for 21.04% of the total effect. However, data are cross-sectional, and causal conclusions cannot be drawn. Attention should be paid to the residents’ mental health and intervention should be considered for residents with mental disorders to improve the residents’ life satisfaction.

Higher physical activity level and perceived social support is associated with less psychological distress in people with anxiety

“…In this line other investigations found that mental health (evaluated by GHQ-12), successful coping, self-confidence and stress were inversely correlated to PSS ( Denche-Zamorano et al., 2022d ; Denche-Zamorano et al., 2022e ; Franco-García et al, 2023 ) in various populations. This is in line with the results of the present study and could suggest that higher PSS is associated with greater mental well-being ( Adamczyk & Segrin, 2015 ; Dong et al, 2022 ; Guo, Tan & Zhu, 2022 ; Singh, Verma & Lata, 2022 ). Furthermore, small inverse correlations were found among PSS and all the GHQ-12 items, which may indicate that greater PSS is associated with lower scores in the mental health variables derived from the GHQ-12, Similar results were found in a population of people with depression ( Denche-Zamorano et al., 2022d ), asthma ( Denche-Zamorano et al., 2022e ) and people with cancerous tumours ( Franco-García et al, 2023 ) where PSS had significant inverse correlations with the GHQ-12 items.…”

“…Reducing psychological distress of people with anxiety may be key in order to decrease the health care costs derived from this disorder, especially given its prevalence in the Spanish adult population ( Villagrasa et al, 2019 ). Several studies support the potential effect of PA ( Harvey et al, 2010 :20; Herring, Lindheimer & O’Connor, 2014 ; Kandola et al, 2018 ; Lautenschlager et al, 2004 ; McDowell et al, 2019 ; Schuch et al, 2019 ; Stubbs et al, 2017 ) and good levels of PSS ( Adamczyk & Segrin, 2015 ; Dong et al, 2022 ; Guo, Tan & Zhu, 2022 ; Singh, Verma & Lata, 2022 ), improving mental health, and even the positive effect of greater PAL on PSS ( Kang, Park & Wallace, 2018 ; Yusuf et al, 2021 ), but cause–effect associations cannot be established due to the design of our study. Thus, it seems that disseminating the importance of good social support networks for people with anxiety and promoting the relevance of having a physically active lifestyle in this population is a relevant action that should be taken from the institutions.…”

“…Other researches have reported similar associations between PSS and mental health ( Adamczyk & Segrin, 2015 ; Singh, Verma & Lata, 2022 ). Moderate inverse correlations have been reported between PSS and anxiety and depression ( Guo, Tan & Zhu, 2022 ), and also small direct correlations among PSS and mental health ( Dong et al, 2022 ). In this line other investigations found that mental health (evaluated by GHQ-12), successful coping, self-confidence and stress were inversely correlated to PSS ( Denche-Zamorano et al., 2022d ; Denche-Zamorano et al., 2022e ; Franco-García et al, 2023 ) in various populations.…”

Effects of resilience, social support, and academic self-efficacy, on mental health among Peruvian university students during the pandemic: the mediating role of digital inclusion

“…In this sense, it helps to recognize and use various social support resources to protect themselves from general or emotional distress ( Wu et al, 2022 ), reducing mental health problems ( Rueger et al, 2016 ; Uchino et al, 2016 ; Hu et al, 2020 ). Similarly, Dong et al (2022) found that mental health is significantly related to perceived social support and life satisfaction; although after adjusting the control variables they found that perceived social support partially played a medium effect on mental health and life satisfaction.…”