The Relationship Between Perceived Social Support with Psychological Well-Being: The Mediator Role of Developmental Assets

The purpose of this study was to investigate the Antecedents and consequences of developmental assets based on structural equation modeling. For this purpose, 511 third-year students from Hamedan high schools (256 males and 255 females) were selected by multistage random cluster sampling. The participants completed the Perceived Social Support Scale) Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet & Farley, 1988), The Developmental Assets Profile (Search Institute, 2005) and Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale (1989). Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. The hypothesized model showed good fit in research population. The results showed that the mediating role of developmental assets in the relationship of perceived social support and psychological well-being is significant and positive, and the proposed model explains 57 percent of the variance of psychological well-being among students. Based on the findings of this study, it was found that the effect of perceived social support on psychological well-being is more indirect than direct, and is through developmental assets. Consequently, with the increase of perceived social support, it is possible to improve the amount of developmental assets and psychological well-being of students.