Open Access

ARTICLE

Perceived social support and sense of meaning in life of Chinese rural college students: A coping style and psychological resilience moderated mediation model

Wenqi Lin¹, Chaowei Zhang^2,*, Jingyu Zhang^3,*

1 Faculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
2 School of Physical Education, Chinese Center of Exercise Epidemiology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
3 School of Physical Education, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, China

* Corresponding Authors: Chaowei Zhang. Email: ; Jingyu Zhang. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2025, 35(2), 179-186. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.065798

Received 13 October 2024; Accepted 01 March 2025; Issue published 30 June 2025

Abstract

This study explored how perceived social support (PSS) influences the sense of meaning in life (SML) among rural college students, considering positive coping styles (PCS) as a mediator and psychological resilience (PR) as a moderator. 1444 college students (females; 23.55% only child; M_age = 19.76 years, SD = 1.07; 76.66%) were recruited from Jilin province in China. The college students self-reported their perceived social support and positive coping styles, psychological resilience, and sense of meaning in life. The results indicated that higher perceived social support predicted higher college students’ sense of meaning in life. Perceived social support positively contributes to college students’ sense of meaning in life through the mediating role of positive coping styles. Psychological resilience moderates the first path of the indirect association, where the positive effect of perceived social support on positive coping styles is more pronounced in college students with higher psychological resilience compared to those with lower psychological resilience. These align with Social Support Theory and Psychological Resilience Theory. That is, individuals with effective social support systems can enhance their positive coping styles, thereby increasing their sense of meaning in life, while psychological resilience strengthens the positive impact of perceived social support on positive coping styles. These findings offer the evidence for intervening and supporting the development of college students’ sense of meaning in life. To enhance rural college students’ sense of meaning in life, it is essential to establish a comprehensive social support system, promote the development of positive coping styles, and provide targeted training to strengthen psychological resilience.

---

Keywords

---