Perceived Social Support and Well-Being among International Students in the United States: Hopeful Career State and Career Engagement as Mediators
Open Access
- Author:
- Liu, Yangyang
- Graduate Program:
- Counselor Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 09, 2022
- Committee Members:
- Julia Green Bryan, Professor in Charge/Director of Graduate Studies
Kristen Nadermann, Major Field Member
Jolynn Carney, Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Liza Conyers (she/her), Major Field Member
Hyung Joon Yoon, Outside Unit & Field Member - Keywords:
- International students
Well-being
Social support
Hopeful career state
Career engagement - Abstract:
- The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between perceived social support and well-being among international students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions. Both the direct relationship between perceived social support and well-being and the indirect relationship through mediators (i.e., hopeful career state, career engagement) were examined among 410 international students across the United States. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Results revealed that perceived social support directly contributed to international students’ well-being. Results also showed that hopeful career state partially mediated the relationship between perceived social support and well-being, suggesting that international students with higher levels of social support were hopeful about their career futures, which then increased their levels of well-being. Similarly, results showed that career engagement also partially mediated the relationship between perceived social support and well-being, suggesting that international students with more social support had greater engagement in proactive career activities, which then contributed to their well-being. Lastly, results also showed a serial mediating effect of hopeful career state and career engagement on the relationship between perceived social support and well-being, suggesting that international students who had higher levels of social support were more hopeful about their career futures, which promoted greater engagement in proactive career activities, which then increased their levels of well-being. Findings of the study highlighted the important role that social support plays in international students’ well-being, as well as provided empirical evidence for career development (i.e., hopeful career state, career engagement) as mechanisms through which social support contributes to international students’ well-being. Implications for higher education practitioners (e.g., mental health and career counselors, student affairs professionals), counselor educators, and researchers are discussed.