Samuel Ling
Psychology (Sunway) | Year 3 | Degree: BSc (Hons) Psychology
How to be psychologically sane: Predictors of psychological well-being
When it comes to one’s psychological well-being, their overall health comes into the picture. Psychological well-being plays a big part in a person’s life, with many potential factors contributing to it. Past research has indicated that autonomy, FoMO (fear of missing out) and social support are major contributions to one’s psychological well-being. However, little is known about the impact of these factors among Malaysian students. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of social support (family and friends), FoMO and autonomy on Malaysian students’ psychological well-being. In this study, 154 Malaysian students (56 males, 98 females) aged between 18 – 24 were recruited online and completed online surveys measuring autonomy, social support, FoMO, and psychological well-being. Results show that students who scored higher on social support and autonomy measures had higher psychological well-being, whereas students who had higher FoMO scores had poorer psychological well-being. All factors were found to significantly predict psychological well-being, with FoMO being the strongest predictor. In conclusion, these findings imply that having a greater degree of autonomy, good relationships with friends and family, and being contented with one’s own experiences are key essentials for one’s psychological well-being.
Samuel Ling
Psychology (Sunway) | Year 3 | Degree: BSc (Hons) Psychology
How to be psychologically sane: Predictors of psychological well-being
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse tempor pulvinar nunc, in sagittis dui laoreet id. Quisque euismod consectetur dolor ac tempor.
d
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse tempor pulvinar nunc, in sagittis dui laoreet id. Quisque euismod consectetur dolor ac tempor.
d
A Little History…
According to the Institute of Public Health in Malaysia, the prevalence of mental health issues among adults has increased from 10.7% to 29.2% between 1996 to 2015.
Poor psychological well-being can have drastic effects on a person. Studies have shown that poor mental health can lead to impaired academic performance (Keyes et al., 2012), poorer physical health (Hernandez et al., 2012), suicidal thoughts and depression (Hawton et al., 2013; Tyson et al., 2010). With these in mind, the need for research on psychological well-being is imperative.
Why these variables?
Studies have shown that autonomy, FoMO and social support do play a role in psychological well-being. For instance, high authorship i.e. a facet of autonomy (Paradnikė & Bandzevičienė, 2015) and social support especially from family (Ammar et al., 2013; Gülaçtı, 2010) significantly predicted psychological well-being. FoMO, on the other hand, was associated with decreased psychological well-being (Fabris et al., 2020). Findings from Farbis et al. (2020) suggest that the fear of missing out on events can trigger stress and anxiety in one's mind, which therefore leads to decreased well-being.
How did we do it?
154 Malaysian students (98 females, 56 males) aged between 18 - 24 years old were recruited via social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram etc.) between October 2020 to December 2020. Online questionnaires were administered on Qualtrics, an online survey tool.
What did we find?
A statistical analysis tool called IBM SPSS was used to analyse the data. Multiple regression analysis revealed that all 3 variables significantly predicted psychological well-being. This means that participants who had higher autonomy and higher social support from friends and family were found to have higher psychological well-being. On other hand, participants who had higher FoMO were found to have lower psychological well-being.
Among all these 3 variables, FoMO was the strongest predictor of psychological well-being.
So what does this mean?
Having good social support from friends and family and having a greater sense of autonomy in life is beneficial to one's psychological well-being.
But among all these variables FoMO has the greatest effect on psychological well-being. The fear of missing out on social opportunities leading to the desire to stay connected with others can bring about feelings of fear, worry, and anxiety. This in turn affects one's mental health. Although frequency and usage of social media was not investigated in this study, social media has been found to contribute to FoMO.
Thus, taking a break from social media, and being contented with one's own experiences can reduce the prevalence of FoMO, leading to a healthier well-being.
Some definitions…
Autonomy can be defined as a person's ability to act in his/her own self-interests.
FoMO is a relatively new social phenomenon and is defined as the belief that others are having more rewarding experiences than you.
Social support was defined as the support received from friends and family.
References
Ammar, D., Nauffal, D., & Sbeity, R. (2013). The role of perceived social support in predicting subjective wellbeing in Lebanese college students. Journal of Happiness and Well-Being, 1(2), 121–143.
Fabris, M., Marengo, D., Longobardi, C., & Settanni, M. (2020). Investigating the links between fear of missing out, social media addiction, and emotional symptoms in adolescence: The role of stress associated with neglect and negative reactions on social media. Addictive Behaviors, 106, 106364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106364
Gülaçtı, F. (2010). The effect of perceived social support on subjective well-being. Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences, 2, 3844-3849. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.602
Hawton, K., Casañas I Comabella, C., Haw, C., & Saunders, K. (2013). Risk factors for suicide in individuals with depression: a systematic review. Journal of affective disorders, 147(1-3), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.01.004
Hernandez, R., Bassett, S. M., Boughton, S. W., Schuette, S. A., Shiu, E. W., & Moskowitz, J. T. (2018). Psychological Well-Being and Physical Health: Associations, Mechanisms, and Future Directions. Emotion Review, 10(1), 18–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073917697824
Keyes, C. L., Eisenberg, D., Perry, G. S., Dube, S. R., Kroenke, K., & Dhingra, S. S. (2012). The relationship of level of positive mental health with current mental disorders in predicting suicidal behavior and academic impairment in college students. Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 60(2), 126–133. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2011.608393
Paradnikė, K. & Bandzevičienė, R. (2015). Autonomy as a personal resource for students occupational well-being. International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach, 17, 97 – 115. https://doi.org 10.7220/2345-024X.17.6
Tyson, P., Wilson, K., Crone, D., Brailsford, R., & Laws, K. (2010). Physical activity and mental health in a student population. Journal of mental health (Abingdon, England), 19(6), 492–499. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638230902968308
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Dr Wu Shin Ling for providing guidance and supervision on this research project.
Predicting Effect of Autonomy, FoMO and Social Support on Psychological Well-Being
CloseCanvas height (pixels)
Background colour
Background image (max: 2mb)
CloseEmail
Website address
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Profile image
Close
Slide 1 image (max 2mb)
Slide 1 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 1 Caption
Slide 2 image (max 2mb)
Slide 2 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 2 Caption
Slide 3 image (max 2mb)
Slide 3 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 3 Caption
Slide 4 image (max 2mb)
Slide 4 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 4 Caption
Slide 5 image (max 2mb)
Slide 5 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 5 Caption
Slide 6 image (max 2mb)
Slide 6 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 6 Caption
Slide 7 image (max 2mb)
Slide 7 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 7 Caption
Slide 8 image (max 2mb)
Slide 8 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 8 Caption
Slide 9 image (max 2mb)
Slide 9 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 9 Caption
Slide 10 image (max 2mb)
Slide 20 video (YouTube/Vimeo embed code)
Image 10 Caption
Caption font
Text
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)
CloseImage (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Image description/alt-tag
Image caption
Image link
Rollover Image (max size: 2mb)
Or drag a symbol into the upload area
Border colour
Rotate
Skew (x-axis)
Skew (y-axis)