This research aims to examine the relationships between social support, self-efficacy, and depressive tendencies among undergraduate students of two schools in Yunnan Province, China. In total, 468 undergraduates participated in the study, which employed the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Generalized Self-Efficacy Scales (GSES), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the associations between the research variables, while the Bootstrap test was used to examine the mediating effect of self-efficacy between social support and depressive tendencies. The research findings indicate that social support is related to depressive tendencies. Undergraduates who show higher degrees of social support would show low levels of depressive tendencies. In addition, self-efficacy was similarly associated with depressive tendencies. The results also show that self-efficacy mediates the relationship between social support and depressive tendencies. The results of this study expand the existing literature review on depressive tendencies by explaining how social support influences depressive tendencies through the mediation role of self-efficacy.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavior change. Psychological Review,84(2):191-215.
Beck, A. T. (1967). Depression: Causes and treatment. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania press.
Beck, A. T., & Beck, R. W. (1972). Screening depressed patients in family practice. A rapid technic. Postgraduate medicine, 52(6), 81–85.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00325481.1972.11713319
Caprara, G. V., Steca, P., Gerbino, M., Paciello, M., & Vecchio, G. M. (2006). Looking for adolescents’ well-being: self-efficacy beliefs as determinants of positive thinking and happiness. Epidemiologia E Psichiatria Sociale, 15(1), 30–43.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1121189x00002013
Cheng, Y. Y., Chen, L., Peng, T., & Yang, Y. J. (2017). Research on the relationship among self-efficacy, social support, and depression in college students. Journal of Harbin Medical University
Cheng, R., & Wang, Y. F. (2012). Correlation between depression and personality, social support among college students. Chinese Journal of Public Health
Cheung, S., & Sun, S. (2000). Effects of self-efficacy and social support on the mental health conditions of mutual-aid organization members. Social Behavior And Personality: An International Journal, 28(5), 413-422. doi: 10.2224/sbp.2000.28.5.413
Cohen, S. (2004). Social Relationships and Health. American Psychologist, 59(8), 676–684. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.59.8.676
Cui, G., Li, G. L., Zhang ,Y., Su, S. M., Liu, Y., & Li, Y. (2021). The correlation between general self-efficacy and depression among college students. Journal of Jining Medical University
Eric K. H. Chan., Kendice M. Limoges., & Tak S. Fnng. (2010). Functional social support and major depressionin cancer patients. Psychology journal, 7(2).
Feng, J. H., & Zhang, S. M. (2023). The Relationship Between Self-efficacy and Mental Health of College Students: the Mediating Role of Psychological Security. Contemporary Teaching and Research 9(09),73-77.
Fiori, K. L., McIlvane, J. M., Brown, E. E., & Antonucci, T. C. (2006). Social relations and depressive symptomatology: Self-efficacy as a mediator. Aging & Mental Health, 10(3), 227–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607860500310690
Ge, M. G., Yu, Y. B., & Xing, C. X. (2006). An Investigation on Depression in Relation to Self-efficacy and Sense of Academic Weariness of University Students. Journal of Chongqing Normal University (Natural Science Edition).
Haslam, D. M., Pakenham, K. I., & Smith, A. (2006). Social support and postpartum depressive symptomatology: The mediating role of maternal self-efficacy. Infant Mental Health Journal, 27(3), 276–291. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.20092
He, M. M., Guo, D. M., Hong, X. Z., Zhao, J., Yang, Y. Z., & Zeng, G. (2011). Relationship between depression and social support of college students. Journal of Qiqihar University of Medicine 32(18),2916-2918.
University of Washington. (2023, March 4). GBD results. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Jiang, Q. J. (2011) Perceived Social Support Scale. Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medical Science, 10(10), 41 – 43.
Kestler-Peleg, M., Lavenda, O., Stenger, V., Bendett, H., Alhalel-Lederman, S., Maayan-Metzger, A., & Strauss, T. (2020). Maternal self-efficacy mediates the association between spousal support and stress among mothers of NICU hospitalized preterm babies. Early human development, 146, 105077.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105077
Lakey, B., & Orehek, E. (2011). Relational regulation theory: a new approach to explain the link between perceived social support and mental health. Psychological review, 118(3), 482–495. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023477
Li, A. C. (2023). The Influence of Ethnic Identity on College Students’ Self-Efficacy: The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support. Psychological Monthly 18(11),110-112.
Li, F. H., Liu, Q., Long, L. L., Zhao, Y., & Feng, S. D. (2016). The Relationship among Coping Style, Self-efficacy and Subjective Well-being of University Students. China Journal of Health Psychology 24(09),1320-1324.
Liu, C. (2018). Perceived Social Support and Mental Health among College Students: The Mediating Effect of General Self-Efficacy and Group Counseling (Master's degree thesis). Henan University.
Luo, J. H. (2023). A Study on the Effects of Social Support on Interpersonal Sensitivity and Depression of University Students--A Case Study of 8 Universities in Yunnan Province. Survey of Education 12(11),5-8.
Ma, Q. M., Qin, L. M., & Cao, W. (2023). Relationship between depression, attachment and social support of college students. China Journal of Health Psychology 31(02),294-298.
Miller, K. J., Mesagno, C., McLaren, S., Grace, F., Yates, M., & Gomez, R. (2019). Exercise, Mood, Self-Efficacy, and Social Support as Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: Direct and Interaction Effects. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(2145). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02145
Mills, N., Pajares, F., & Herron, C. (2006). A Reevaluation of the Role of Anxiety: Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, and Their Relation to Reading and Listening Proficiency. Foreign Language Annals, 39(2), 276–295. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2006.tb02266.x
Mohd Khir, A., Rodzuwan, N. A. S., Md. Noor, A., Wan Jaafar, W. M., & Hassan, M. M. (2020). Sokongan Sosial, Penghargaan Kendiri dan Kemurungan dalam kalangan Mahasiswa di Universiti. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 5(11), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v5i11.547
Park, J., & Lee, H. (2023). The relationship between depression, self-efficacy, social support, and health-promoting behaviors in Korean single-household women. Preventive Medicine Reports, 32, 102156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102156
Penninx, B. W. J. H., van Tilburg, T., Boeke, A. J. P., Deeg, D. J. H., Kriegsman, D. M. W., & van Eijk, J. Th. M. (1998). Effects of social support and personal coping resources on depressive symptoms: Different for various chronic diseases? Health Psychology, 17(6), 551–558. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.17.6.551
People’s Daily Health Client, Lingbei China, & Health Times. (2022). ?2022??????????. ????. http://xlfd.hsu.edu.cn/7e/0f/c33a163343/page.htm
Qu, W. G., Li, F. Y., & Shi, J. C. (2016). A study of the relationship between social support and depression among college students in ethnic colleges and universities. Academy.
Ruotolo, F., Ruggiero, G., Cattaneo, Z., Arioli, M., Candini, M., Frassinetti, F., Pazzaglia, F., Fornara, F., Bosco, A., & Iachini, T. (2023). Psychological Reactions during and after a Lockdown: Self-Efficacy as a Protective Factor of Mental Health. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(17), 6679.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20176679
Saltzman, K. M., Holden, G. W., & Holahan, C. J. (2005). The Psychobiology of Children Exposed to Marital Violence. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 34(1), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp3401_12
Santini, Z. I., Koyanagi, A., Tyrovolas, S., Mason, C., & Haro, J. M. (2015). The association between social relationships and depression: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 175(1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.12.049
Schwarzer, R., Bäßler, J., Kwiatek, P., Schröder, K., & Jian Xin Zhang. (1997). The Assessment of Optimistic Self-beliefs: Comparison of the German, Spanish, and Chinese Versions of the General Self-efficacy Scale. Applied Psychology, 46(1), 69–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1997.tb01096.x
Silva, P., Lott, R., Mota, J., & Welk, G. (2014). Direct and Indirect Effects of Social Support on Youth Physical Activity Behavior. Pediatric Exercise Science, 26(1), 86–94. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2012-0207
Shi, D. D., Liao, N. Y., & Feng, X. X. Understanding the influence of social support on college students’ depression: the mediation of interpersonal trust. Psychological Monthly 17(23),39-41.
Sun, Z. G., & Lai, L. L. (2023). Effect of Social Support on Health-Promoting Behavior of Floating Elderly People—— The Mediating Role of Self-efficacy. Soft Science of Health 37(10),37-42.
Tan, X., Zhang, J., Wu, C. Y., Du, J., & Kong, J. H. (2010) Characteristics of depressive tendencies in university students and psychological interventions in Chinese medicine. Jilin Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 30(09),741-744.
Uchino, B. N., Bowen, K., & Kent, R. (2016). Social Support and Mental Health. Encyclopedia of Mental Health, 189–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-397045-9.00117-8
van Brakel, V., Barreda-Ángeles, M., & Hartmann, T. (2023). Feelings of presence and perceived social support in social virtual reality platforms. Computers in Human Behavior, 139, 107523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107523
Wade, T. D., & Kendler, K. S. (2000). The relationship between social support and major depression: cross-sectional, longitudinal, and genetic perspectives. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 188(5), 251–258. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-200005000-00001
Wang, C. K., Hu, Z. F., & Liu, Y. (2001). Evidence for Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of General Self-Efficacy Scale. Chinese Journal of Applied Psychology
Wang, X. L., Wang, L. M., Yao, G. Y., & Sui, H. (2008). Mediating Effect of Self-efficacy Between Perceived Social Support and Depression in College Students. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology
Yang, C. X., Zhang, D. J., Liang, Y. H., & Hu, T. Q. (2016). Relationship between social support and depression among college students in China: A meta-analysis. Chinese Mental Health Journal 30(12),939-945.
Xu, W. J., Liu, L. Y., & Tang, W. J. (2023) The Influence of Perceived Social Support to Post-Traumatic Growth in Young Survivors of Earthquake: The Mediating Roles of Gratitude and Self-Efficacy. Journal of Psychological Science 46(03),611-618.
Yang, X., Zhu, J., & Hu, P. (2021). Perceived social support and procrastination in college students: A sequential mediation model of self-compassion and negative emotions. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01920-3
Zhang, B., Wang, H., & Mei, R. (2023). Relationship Between Social Support and Employment Anxiety Among Art Education Students: Self-Efficacy as a Mediator. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 51(5), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.12284
Zhang, W. W., & Zhang, Y. Z. (2021). Perceived Social Support and Depression in College Students: The Role of Meaning in Life and Self-control. Journal of Inner Mongolia Normal University (Natural Science Edition) 50(01),82-87.
Zhao, S. R., Guo, T. F., & Wang M. H. (2018). Relationship between teacher support and general self-efficacy of the children affected by HIV/AIDS: the mediating effect of school belonging. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30–41. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2
