The Effect of Social Support on Students’ Social Competence with the Mediating Role of Life Skills
Keywords:
Social support, social competence, life skills, students, structural equation modelingAbstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of social support on students' social competence with the mediating role of life skills. This study was descriptive-survey in nature and applied in purpose. The statistical population included 1,624 elementary students in Chaboksar. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, 313 students were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using three standardized questionnaires: the Social Support Scale (Zimet et al., 1988), the Social Competence Scale (Gómez-Ortiz, 2023), and the Life Skills Inventory (Meir, 2015). Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling in Smart PLS. Results showed that social support had a significant positive effect on social competence (β=0.390, t=7.302). It also significantly predicted life skills (β=0.427, t=9.559), and life skills significantly affected social competence (β=0.217, t=4.117). The Sobel test confirmed the significance of the indirect effect of social support on social competence via life skills (t=4.003). The GOF index was 0.344, indicating a moderate model fit. This study confirms the vital role of social support in enhancing students’ social competence and highlights the strengthening effect of life skills as a partial mediator. Accordingly, implementing life skills interventions can increase the effectiveness of social support in promoting students’ social development.
Downloads
References
Beshirian, S., Khareghani Moghadam, S. M., Bandeh Allahi, K., Shirmohammadi, N., Besharati, F., & Malekpour, F. (2022). Internet Addiction and Communication Skills Among Students: An Application of the Social Support Theory. Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 20(4), 258-268. https://doi.org/10.52547/unmf.20.4.258
ÇAliŞKan, S. (2023). Examination of the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy Levels of High School Students and Problem-Solving Skills and Perceived Social Support. Journal of Family Counseling and Education, 7(2), 45-54. https://doi.org/10.32568/jfce.1205084
Collie Rebecca, J., Martin, A. J. A. U. R. L., & Caldecott-Davis, K. (2024). Students' perceived social-emotional competence: The role of autonomy-support and links with well-being, social-emotional skills, and behaviors. Learning and Instruction. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2023.101866
Collie, R. J. (2022). Instructional support, perceived social and emotional competence, and students' behavioral and emotional well-being outcomes. Educational Psychology, 42(1), 4-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2021.1994127
Domitrovich, C. E., Durlak, J. A., Staley, K. C., & Weissberg, R. P. (2017). Social-Emotional Competence: An Essential Factor for Promoting Positive Adjustment and Reducing Risk in School Children. Child development, 88(2), 408-416. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12739
Forneris, T., Danish, S. J., & Scott, D. L. (2007). Setting goals, solving problems, and seeking social support: developing adolescents' abilities through a life skills program. Adolescence, 42(165). https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=00018449&AN=105921240&h=ZYrA8jowtk0wzXRA2R3cV%2B3Q3iSsHck6DNmXNSxmROJh0vcArNbsxUsTbKKR4U5fZE8h%2FDsburMpoU7300gsnw%3D%3D&crl=c
Harper, M.-G., Quan‐Haase, A., & Hollingshead, W. (2022). Mobilizing Social Support: New and Transferable Digital Skills in the Era of COVID-19. First Monday. https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v27i4.12559
Hassani, M., Asghari, M., Kazemzadehbeytali, M., & Abdoli Soltanahmadi, J. (2017). The role of social support in life satisfaction of students: Examining the mediating role of school satisfaction, academic competency and self-efficacy. Journal of School Psychology, 5(4), 31-51. https://jsp.uma.ac.ir/article_510.html
Karasová, R., & Uhláriková, J. (2022). Social Support, School Achievement and Social Competencies in Adolescents With Disabled Siblings. Pomáhajúce Profesie, 5(2), 5-12. https://doi.org/10.17846/pp.2022.5.2.5-12
Karimi, Y., Khabbaz, M., Habibi, Y., & Karimian, N. (2016). The Comparison of the Resilience and Social Support in Juvenile Delinquents and Normal Teenagers of Tehran. Educational Psychology, 12(40), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.22054/jep.2016.5445
Kewalramani, S., Palaiologou, I., Δαρδανού, Μ., Allen, K. A., & Phillipson, S. (2021). Using Robotic Toys in Early Childhood Education to Support Children’s Social and Emotional Competencies. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 46(4), 355-369. https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211056668
Mallinckrodt, B., & Wei, M. (2005). Attachment, Social Competencies, Social Support, and Psychological Distress. Journal of counseling psychology, 52(3), 358-367. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.3.358
McDonnell, M., Yang, Y., & Zadhasn, Z. (2024). Linking Emotional and Social Competencies to Career Readiness Among Senior Undergraduates [Research Article]. Iranian Journal of Educational Sociology, 7(1), 198-204. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.ijes.7.1.19
Motta, M., Liu, Y., Brenna, K., McLaurin, S., Speer, K., Scherer, E., & Yarnell, A. (2024). Assessing the Effect of Evidence-Based Mental Health Social Media Videos on Youth Emotional Support Competencies: A “Creator-Engaged” Approach. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/kydf4
Namasaba, M., Kazembe, N., Seera, G., & Baguwemu, A. A. (2022). Broadening the Scope of Social Support, Coping Skills and Resilience Among Caretakers of Children With Disabilities in Uganda: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study. BMC public health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13018-x
Rebecca, J. C., Martin, A. J., Renshaw, L., & Caldecott-Davis, K. (2024). Students' perceived social-emotional competence: The role of autonomy-support and links with well-being, social-emotional skills, and behaviors. Learning and Instruction. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2023.101866
Taylor, Z., Conger, R. D., Robins, R. W., & Widaman, K. F. (2015). Parenting Practices and Perceived Social Support: Longitudinal Relations With the Social Competence of Mexican-Origin Children. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 3(4), 193-208. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000038
Yuan, H., Yan, Z., Yue, Y., Zhao, Y., & Lei, J. (2025). The Relationship Between Family Socio‐Economic Status and Preschool Children Parents' Parenting Sense of Competence: The Chain Mediating Role of Social Support and Psychological Capital. Child & Family Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.13263
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
