Subjective Well-Being from a Just-World Perspective: a Multi-Dimensional Approach in a Student Sample

Frontiers in Psychology. 2019. Vol. 10. P. 1739-1–1739-12.

Nartova-Bochaver S. K., Donat M., Rüprich C.

In a cross-sectional study with N = 627 individuals (Mage = 22.8, SDage = 7.3, 147 males, 480 females, 106 non-religious, 456 religious), we investigated personal belief in a just world (BJW) as a resource for undergraduates’ subjective well-being and expected a positive relation between both constructs due to recent studies. We not only aimed at replicating but also extending recent findings by investigating a Russian sample, measuring different dimensions of well-being, and considering self-esteem and resilience as potential mediators in the relation of BJW and well-being. We also controlled for confounding effects of age, gender, religiosity, and general BJW. The findings show that personal BJW related to all investigated indicators of well-being (depressive symptoms, positive and negative affect, and mental well-being). Self-esteem mediated all relations between personal BJW and indicators of subjective well-being whereas resilience mediated relations of personal BJW to positive affect and mental well-being. The pattern of results persisted when we controlled for age, gender, religiosity, and general BJW. Our results confirm that the personal BJW world functions as a psychological resource in undergraduate students.

Keywords: студенты, субъективное благополучие, students, самооценка, жизнестойкость, Resilience, subjective well-being, belief in a just world, вера в справедливый мир, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, депрессивные симптомы, positive and negative affect, позитивный и негативный аффект