Mediating Role of Social Self-Efficacy in Linking Positive Thinking to Satisfaction with Life among First Year University Students

Abstract

Objectives. Present study was an attempt to examine how positive thinking among
university freshers helps them to deal with challenges related to new setup and have an impact
on their life satisfaction through social self-efficacy. Furthermore, it explores how changing
one’s thoughts about different perspective into positive ones overcoming challenges of life
becomes easier, consequently, people feel socially strong and satisfied with life.
Method. In the present study, total 480 (Boys=218 Girls=262) newly admitted students in
undergraduate programs from Faculty of Social Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University
Multan, Pakistan with age range of 17-22 years (M=18.57 & SD=.835) participated.
Participants responded on Life Oriented Test- Revised [LOT-R (Scheier et al., 1994)], Social
Self-Efficacy Scale [SSES (Muris, 2001)] and Satisfaction with Life Scale [SWLS (Diener et
al., 1985)] respectively. Data analyses consisted of Pearson product moment correlation
coefficient and linear regression by utilizing SPSS (25.0) whereas Process Macro 3.5.0 was
used to verify mediation model.
Results. Findings indicated that positive thinking does not predict satisfaction with life
directly whereas it significantly predicts social self-efficacy (B= 0.45, p < 0.001) and social
self-efficacy predicts satisfaction with life (B= 0.23, p < 0.001). Thus, results showed that social
self-efficacy fully mediates the relationship of positive thinking with satisfaction in life among
students.
Conclusion. Social self-efficacy has been found as an imperative facet of students’ life so it
should be considered while designing curricula and other activities related to students.