IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/soinre/v126y2016i2p813-828.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Self-Control as Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship Between Social Support and Subjective Well-Being Among the Chinese Elderly

Author

Listed:
  • Yangjun Tu
  • Zhi Yang

Abstract

Although numerous studies have demonstrated that social support affects a range of life experiences, only a few have examined the moderators and mediators such as self-esteem. According to self-control theory, self-control represents one’s ability to override or change one’s inner responses, and to interrupt undesired behavioral tendencies and refrain from acting on them. A high level of self-control may help individuals to mediate or moderate negative affect and thus weaken any adverse effects, contributing to their subjective well-being (SWB) in the long run. The current study explored how this interaction may affect the subjective well-being of the Chinese elderly, for whom self-control and social support are especially important life management issues. The study examined whether self-control mediates and moderates the relationship between social support and SWB among the elderly Chinese population. The data were collected from 335 elderly Chinese people (162 females and 173 males) from ten cities in central China, who completed the Chinese Social Support Scale, Trait Self-control Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The results showed that self-control, social support and SWB were strongly and significantly related. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that self-control partially mediated the influence of social support on SWB. Moreover, self-control moderated the relationship between social support and positive affect, but not life satisfaction and negative affect. These findings imply that self-control is a critical indicator of SWB and can serve as a basis for differentiating between intervention strategies that promote SWB among the elderly by helping them manage positive and negative affect. Future studies should further examine the internal mechanisms by which self-control influences SWB. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Suggested Citation

  • Yangjun Tu & Zhi Yang, 2016. "Self-Control as Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship Between Social Support and Subjective Well-Being Among the Chinese Elderly," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 813-828, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:126:y:2016:i:2:p:813-828
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-015-0911-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s11205-015-0911-z
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11205-015-0911-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James Horley & J. Lavery, 1995. "Subjective well-being and age," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 275-282, February.
    2. Kennon Sheldon & Tan Hoon, 2007. "The multiple determination of well-being: Independent effects of positive traits, needs, goals, selves, social supports, and cultural contexts," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 8(4), pages 565-592, December.
    3. Dov Shmotkin, 1990. "Subjective well-being as a function of age and gender: A multivariate look for differentiated trends," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 201-230, November.
    4. López Ulloa, Beatriz Fabiola & Møller, Valerie & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2013. "How does subjective well-being evolve with age? A literature review," FZID Discussion Papers 72-2013, University of Hohenheim, Center for Research on Innovation and Services (FZID).
    5. Sharkey, P.T. & Tirado-Strayer, N. & Papachristos, A.V. & Raver, C.C., 2012. "The effect of local violence on children's attention and impulse control," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(12), pages 2287-2293.
    6. Hamama, Liat & Ronen-Shenhav, Anat, 2012. "Self-control, social support, and aggression among adolescents in divorced and two-parent families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1042-1049.
    7. Sherbourne, Cathy Donald & Stewart, Anita L., 1991. "The MOS social support survey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 705-714, January.
    8. Keith Wilcox & Andrew T. Stephen, 2013. "Are Close Friends the Enemy? Online Social Networks, Self-Esteem, and Self-Control," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 40(1), pages 90-103.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xianmei Lei & Jiří Kantor, 2021. "Social Support and Family Functioning in Chinese Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-10, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chuhua Zheng & Yanhong Wu, 2020. "The More Modest You are, the Happier You are: The Mediating Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Self-esteem," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1603-1615, June.
    2. David Webb, 2009. "Subjective Wellbeing on the Tibetan Plateau: An Exploratory Investigation," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(6), pages 753-768, December.
    3. Liang Xiao & Linyong Luo & Tongping Ke, 2024. "The influence of eWOM information structures on consumers’ purchase intentions," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1713-1735, September.
    4. Denise Catalano & Linda Holloway & Elias Mpofu, 2018. "Mental Health Interventions for Parent Carers of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Practice Guidelines from a Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS) Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-23, February.
    5. John F. Helliwell & Haifang Huang & Max B. Norton & Shun Wang, 2019. "Happiness at Different Ages: The Social Context Matters," Springer Books, in: Mariano Rojas (ed.), The Economics of Happiness, chapter 0, pages 455-481, Springer.
    6. Valéria Teresa Saraiva Lino & Nádia Cristina Pinheiro Rodrigues & Mônica Kramer de Noronha Andrade & Inês Nascimento de Carvalho Reis & Lucília Almeida Elias Lopes & Soraya Atie, 2019. "Association between visual problems, insufficient emotional support and urinary incontinence with disability in elderly people living in a poor district in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A six-year follow-up," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-12, May.
    7. Ning Li, 2016. "Multidimensionality of Longitudinal Data: Unlocking the Age-Happiness Puzzle," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(1), pages 305-320, August.
    8. I. Khumalo & Q. Temane & M. Wissing, 2012. "Socio-Demographic Variables, General Psychological Well-Being and the Mental Health Continuum in an African Context," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 105(3), pages 419-442, February.
    9. Angelique Chan & Mary Ofstedal & Albert Hermalin, 2002. "Changes in Subjective and Objective Measures of Economic Well-Being and Their Interrelationship among the Elderly in Singapore and Taiwan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 263-300, March.
    10. Ni Putu Ayu Wangi Diantini & Susanti & Waspodo Tjipto Subroto, 2021. "The effect of peer group, economic literacy, and use of social media on the consumption behavior of students social studies major grade XII SMAN 1 Negara in Jembrana," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 21(1), pages 296-311, July.
    11. White, Lynn & McQuillan, Julia & Greil, Arthur L. & Johnson, David R., 2006. "Infertility: Testing a helpseeking model," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(4), pages 1031-1041, February.
    12. Liping Ye & Xinping Zhang, 2021. "The association mechanism between social network types and health‐related behaviours among the elderly in rural Hubei Province, China," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3), pages 826-846, May.
    13. Patrick Nürnberger & Dirk von Lewinski & Hans-Bernd Rothenhäusler & Celine Braun & Patrick Reinbacher & Ewald Kolesnik & Andreas Baranyi, 2022. "A biopsychosocial model of severe fear of COVID-19," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(2), pages 1-16, February.
    14. Tuğba Koç & Aykut Hamit Turan, 2021. "The Relationships Among Social Media Intensity, Smartphone Addiction, and Subjective Wellbeing of Turkish College Students," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(5), pages 1999-2021, October.
    15. Francis, Jacinta & Wood, Lisa J. & Knuiman, Matthew & Giles-Corti, Billie, 2012. "Quality or quantity? Exploring the relationship between Public Open Space attributes and mental health in Perth, Western Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1570-1577.
    16. David G. Blanchflower, 2020. "Is Happiness U-shaped Everywhere? Age and Subjective Well-being in 132 Countries," NBER Working Papers 26641, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Shachar, Keren & Ronen-Rosenbaum, Tammie & Rosenbaum, Michael & Orkibi, Hod & Hamama, Liat, 2016. "Reducing child aggression through sports intervention: The role of self-control skills and emotions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 241-249.
    18. Anand, Paul & Gray, Alastair & Liberini, Federica & Roope, Laurence & Smith, Ron & Thomas, Ranjeeta, 2015. "Wellbeing over 50," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 6(C), pages 68-78.
    19. Srinivasan Chokkanathan & Aravindhan Natarajan, 2018. "Perceived Quality of Life following Elder Mistreatment in Rural India," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(5), pages 69-80.
    20. Kenneth G. Rice & Fernán Arana & Hannah Wetstone & Michelle Aiello & Barbara Durán, 2023. "Predicting and Moderating COVID-Fear and Stress among College Students in Argentina and the USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-20, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:126:y:2016:i:2:p:813-828. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.