Social Support and Mental Health in School Students: Parallel Mediation Effects of Self‑Esteem and Mastery

Social Support and Mental Health in School Students: Parallel Mediation Effects of Self‑Esteem and Mastery | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Social Support and Mental Health in School Students: Parallel Mediation Effects of Self‑Esteem and Mastery Le-Hang Thi Do, Mai-Huong Thi Phan, Hong-Van Thi Dinh, Phuong-Hoa Thi Nguyen, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7247209/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Introduction Mental health is a key part of students’ academic and social development. Social support from family, peers, and teachers can improve students’ psychological resources such as selfesteem and mastery, which may lead to higher life satisfaction and fewer emotional or behavioral problems. However, evidence in school contexts remains limited. Aims This study aimed to examine the relationships between social support, selfesteem, mastery, life satisfaction, and internalizing and externalizing problems in secondary school students. It also tested whether selfesteem and mastery mediated the link between social support and these outcomes. Methods A quantitative, crosssectional design was used with 375 middle and high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam. Participants completed standardized questionnaires measuring social support, selfesteem, mastery, life satisfaction, and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS for descriptive statistics and correlations, and SmartPLS for partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results Social support was positively associated with selfesteem, mastery, and life satisfaction, and negatively associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. Selfesteem significantly mediated the relationship between social support and life satisfaction, as well as the relationship between social support and internalizing and externalizing problems. Mastery showed negative direct effects on internalizing and externalizing problems but did not mediate the link between social support and life satisfaction. Conclusion These findings highlight the important role of social support in promoting psychological resources and wellbeing among students. Strengthening supportive networks and fostering selfesteem can help schools and families improve students’ emotional adjustment, reduce problem behaviors, and support healthy development. social support psychological resources wellbeing behavior students Figures Figure 1 Introduction School mental health plays a crucial role for secondary school students because it directly influences their academic achievement, social development, and overall well‑being. Students with good mental health – characterized by optimism, life satisfaction, and fewer experiences of distress – tend to achieve higher academic performance compared to those with psychological difficulties or poor mental health [ 1 , 2 ]. Mental health and health literacy are considered key pathways linking school counseling services and psychological support to improvements in both academic outcomes and physical health [ 2 ]. In addition, health education and encouragement to participate in physical activities contribute significantly to better mental health, which in turn lays the foundation for improved academic performance [ 3 , 4 ]. Beyond academic outcomes, mental health is essential for students’ emotional and social development. A stable psychological state enables them to manage stress, build resilience, and maintain motivation throughout their learning process [ 5 – 8 ]. Moreover, a supportive environment – where parents are actively involved and teacher–student relationships are built on trust and respect – can substantially reduce mental health problems and suicidal ideation, particularly during the sensitive stage of lower secondary education [ 9 – 11 ]. Social support is regarded as one of the strongest protective factors for secondary school students, as it helps reduce stress, enhance mental health, and promote success both academically and socially. Previous studies have shown that support from family, peers, and school staff is closely associated with better mental health and a lower risk of poor well‑being, even among students facing adversity or lacking support at home [ 12 – 15 ]. Social support is also linked to lower levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, while fostering better mental health and higher life satisfaction [ 14 – 17 ]. Beyond psychological benefits, social support contributes to stronger academic engagement and greater resilience. When students receive encouragement from peers and teachers, they tend to feel more motivated, show less doubt about their abilities, and achieve higher academic outcomes, particularly during critical school transitions [ 13 ]. Moreover, social support reduces the likelihood of school dropout, alleviates burnout, and limits problematic behaviors such as bullying or impulsivity [ 18 – 20 ]. Importantly, by strengthening self‑esteem and emotion regulation, social support also protects students from social anxiety and the risk of internet addiction [ 16 , 21 ]. Social support and self‑esteem are closely interconnected and mutually reinforcing among secondary school students, forming a vital foundation for their psychosocial development. When students receive higher levels of support from family, peers, and teachers, they tend to develop and maintain higher self‑esteem, which in turn enhances their sense of happiness, confidence, resilience, and success in both academic and personal domains. Numerous studies have demonstrated that social support from parents, teachers, and peers directly contributes to improving students’ self‑esteem across various age groups and cultural contexts [ 22 – 24 ]. Notably, the type of support that exerts the strongest influence on self‑esteem may vary by developmental stage: parental and teacher support play a more prominent role for younger students, whereas peer and teacher support become more significant for older students [ 22 ]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 01 : Social support would be positively associated with self-esteem. Social support plays a pivotal role in fostering mastery among secondary school students, as it provides motivation, guidance, and confidence in their own abilities. Previous studies have shown that social support, particularly from parents and teachers, is a strong predictor of the development of mastery goals [ 25 – 27 ]. Notably, emotional support from parents helps stimulate students’ passion for learning and nurtures their intrinsic motivation, whereas academic support, guidance, and positive feedback from teachers act as catalysts that encourage students to persist in pursuing and achieving mastery goals [ 25 – 27 ]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 02 : Social support would be positively associated with mastery. Social support is closely and consistently associated with life satisfaction among secondary school students, as these sources of support help them feel valued, heard, and provided with a reliable foundation to cope with stress, thereby maintaining both physical and mental health. Among these sources, family support is considered the most influential factor in adolescents’ life satisfaction, even surpassing support from peers, classmates, or teachers [ 28 , 29 ]. In addition, other sources such as peers, classmates, and teachers also play an essential role in fostering life satisfaction, particularly at younger ages when students need greater encouragement and companionship within the school environment [ 30 , 31 ]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 03 : Social support would be positively associated with students’ life satisfaction. Social support is considered a strong protective factor against both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Numerous studies have demonstrated that support from mothers, fathers, classmates, and close friends is significantly associated with reduced internalizing problems in both male and female students. In particular, parental support can substantially compensate for a lack of support from classmates, especially for male students, thereby alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression [ 32 ]. In addition, support from classmates and peers plays an important role in reducing internalizing behaviors by limiting experiences of bullying, as a positive peer environment greatly decreases the likelihood of such problems [ 33 , 34 ]. Encouragement and companionship from teachers, peers, and the school community also help mitigate the negative impact of bullying and victimization, which is particularly beneficial for male students in reducing internalized stress [ 34 ]. Regarding externalizing behaviors, parental support stands out as a key predictor of reduced aggressive tendencies and rule‑breaking behaviors. While support from classmates does not directly reduce externalizing behaviors, it indirectly mitigates peer victimization, thereby lowering the risk of negative behavioral manifestations [ 33 ]. Furthermore, early social support, particularly from parents, can significantly buffer the effects of parental psychological distress or suboptimal parenting styles on later externalizing behaviors [ 35 ]. In addition, support from teachers and peers has also been identified as an independent predictor of reduced externalizing symptoms, although parental support remains the most influential factor [ 15 ]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 04 : Social support would be negatively associated with internalizing/externalizing behavior. Self‑esteem is closely and positively associated with life satisfaction among secondary school students, highlighting its role as an important psychological foundation that nurtures personal happiness and healthy development. A substantial body of research consistently shows that students with higher self‑esteem tend to report greater life satisfaction, whereas those with lower self‑esteem often experience reduced satisfaction with their lives [ 36 , 37 ]. This relationship has been found to be stable across various cultures, age groups, and educational settings, underscoring the broad and enduring influence of self‑esteem on students’ mental well‑being. Notably, some studies have further indicated that self‑esteem alone can account for a significant proportion of the variance in life satisfaction, sometimes exerting a stronger effect than many other psychological factors or personality traits [ 36 , 37 ]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 05 : Self-esteem would be positively associated with students’ life satisfaction. H 06 : Self-esteem would moderate the relationship between social support and students’ life satisfaction. Self‑esteem is closely and bidirectionally associated with both internalizing and externalizing behaviors, indicating that it is a core psychological factor with a profound influence on students’ adaptation and development. A consistent body of research has shown that low self‑esteem is strongly linked to higher levels of both types of behaviors, even after controlling for variables such as age, gender, and academic ability [ 38 – 41 ]. Among students with low self‑esteem, difficulties in regulating emotions and forming positive peer relationships often occur simultaneously, increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, as well as oppositional or disruptive behaviors [ 38 , 39 ]. In contrast, high self‑esteem serves as a protective factor, enabling students to maintain confidence, emotional stability, and healthy social relationships, thereby significantly reducing both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 07 : Self-esteem would be negatively associated with internalizing/externalizing behavior. H 08 : Self-esteem would moderate the relationship between social support and internalizing/externalizing behavior. Mastery shows a clear positive association with life satisfaction among secondary school students, highlighting the role of mastery orientation as a psychological resource that promotes well‑being and holistic development. Research indicates that this relationship becomes even stronger when students receive autonomy support from teachers, which fulfills their psychological needs and enhances their sense of happiness [ 42 ]. Notably, the positive effect of mastery goals on life satisfaction appears to be more pronounced among female students, suggesting potential gender differences in how mastery orientation contributes to well‑being [ 42 ]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 09 : Mastery would be positively associated with students’ life satisfaction. H 10 : Mastery would moderate the relationship between social support and students’ life satisfaction. Mastery demonstrates a clear protective relationship with both internalizing and externalizing behaviors, indicating that a mastery orientation is an important psychological resource that helps students adapt more effectively in both learning and daily life. When students learn in an environment that emphasizes mastery, they are less likely to exhibit behavioral and emotional problems. In particular, when mastery orientation is combined with close and supportive teacher–student relationships, students show the lowest levels of both externalizing and internalizing behaviors [ 43 ]. In contrast, in classrooms with low mastery orientation and strained teacher–student relationships, students tend to experience greater behavioral and emotional difficulties, with the highest levels of both externalizing and internalizing behaviors [ 43 ]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H 11 : Mastery would be negatively associated with internalizing/externalizing behavior. H 12 : Mastery would moderate the relationship between social support and internalizing/externalizing behavior. Methods and materials Research Design This study employed a quantitative, cross‑sectional research design and utilized a convenience sampling method with participants drawn from middle and high school students at several schools in Hanoi. Data collection was conducted in early 2025 using a self‑administered questionnaire consisting of three main sections. The first section provided information about the study and requested informed consent; only students who agreed to participate proceeded to the next sections. The second section included standardized scales measuring the variables in the research model, namely social support, psychological resources, and students’ well‑being. The final section collected basic demographic information such as gender, grade level, and age. The questionnaire was designed to be clear, concise, and age‑appropriate for students. The study strictly adhered to ethical principles, ensuring voluntary participation, confidentiality, and the right to withdraw at any time without any negative consequences. Measurements Social Support The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, developed by Zimet (1988), was used in this study to measure students’ perceived social support. The original scale consists of 12 items divided into three subscales; however, only two subscales were employed in this study – Family Support (4 items) and Friend Support (4 items) – as these represent the primary sources of support for middle and high school students. All items were rated on a 7‑point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Very strongly disagree) to 7 (Very strongly agree), with higher total scores indicating higher levels of perceived social support. The scale demonstrated good reliability in the original study, with Cronbach’s α = 0.88 and a three‑month test–retest reliability of Cronbach’s α = 0.85 (Zimet, 1988). In the present study, Cronbach’s α was 0.856, indicating good reliability. Self-Esteem The Rosenberg Self‑Esteem Scale, developed by Rosenberg (1979), was used in this study to measure students’ self‑esteem. The original scale consists of 10 items, with Items 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9 reverse‑coded before scoring. All items were rated on a 4‑point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 4 (Strongly agree), with higher total scores indicating more positive self‑esteem among students. The scale demonstrated good reliability in the original study, with Cronbach’s α = 0.92 (Rosenberg, 1979). In the present study, Cronbach’s α was 0.785, indicating good reliability. Mastery The Pearlin Mastery Scale, developed by Pearlin and Schooler (1978), was used in this study to assess students’ sense of mastery. The original scale consists of seven items, with negatively worded items reverse‑coded before scoring. In this study, the shortened five‑item version proposed by Comijs (2011) was employed. To facilitate students’ responses and support data analysis, items were rated on a 5‑point Likert scale ranging from 5 (Strongly disagree) to 1 (Strongly agree), so that higher total scores indicated greater mastery. The scale showed acceptable reliability in Penninx’s (1998) study, with Cronbach’s α = 0.67. In the present study, Cronbach’s α was 0.784, indicating good reliability. Student’s Life Satisfaction The Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale, developed by Huebner (1991), was used in this study to measure students’ life satisfaction. The original scale consists of seven items, with Items 3 and 4 reverse‑coded prior to analysis. All items were rated on a 6‑point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 6 (Strongly agree), with higher total scores indicating higher levels of life satisfaction among students. The scale demonstrated good reliability in the original study, with Cronbach’s α = 0.82 (Huebner, 1991). In the present study, Cronbach’s α was 0.766, indicating good reliability. Strengths and Difficulties The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, developed by Goodman (1997), was used in this study to assess students’ strengths and difficulties. The original scale consists of 25 items divided into five subscales: emotional symptoms (5 items), conduct problems (5 items), hyperactivity/inattention (5 items), peer relationship problems (5 items), and prosocial behaviour (5 items). However, this study used only 20 items, grouped into two broader domains as suggested by Goodman (2010): internalizing problems (emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems, 10 items) and externalizing problems (conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention, 10 items). Items were rated on a 3‑point Likert scale (0 = Not true, 1 = Somewhat true, and 3 = Certainly true), with higher total scores indicating higher levels of the corresponding problem domains. The scale demonstrated good reliability in Goodman’s (2010) study, with Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.65 to 0.85. In the present study, Cronbach’s α was 0.613 for the externalizing problems scale and 0.661 for the internalizing problems scale, indicating acceptable reliability. Ethical Considerations This study was conducted in full compliance with ethical principles for research in the social sciences and psychology, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki regarding the rights and safety of participants. Prior to data collection, the research proposal was reviewed and approved by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) committee (reference number 07/2024/VI/HĐKHXH), ensuring that all procedures met international ethical standards. Participation in the survey was entirely voluntary; students were provided with clear information about the purpose, content, benefits, and their right to withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences. The questionnaire did not collect personally identifiable information, and all data were coded and used solely for research purposes to ensure anonymity and strict confidentiality. In addition, the study received consent and collaboration from the participating schools to facilitate data collection in a safe manner while respecting the rights of all participants. Data Analysis After data collection, the dataset was cleaned, coded, and entered into statistical software for analysis. First, SPSS was used to conduct descriptive statistical analyses, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, to provide an overview of the sample characteristics and response patterns for each observed variable. In addition, SPSS was employed to calculate Pearson correlation coefficients among the key variables in the model, offering preliminary information about the linear relationships between them. Subsequently, to test the research model and hypotheses, SmartPLS was used with the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The analysis procedure included two main steps: (1) assessing the measurement model by examining reliability (composite reliability, Cronbach’s alpha), convergent validity (average variance extracted, AVE), and discriminant validity; and (2) evaluating the structural model to verify the causal relationships among variables, including both direct and mediating effects. Statistical significance was tested using the bootstrapping method with a resampling size of 5,000 to determine the reliability of the estimates and confidence intervals. In addition, model fit indices were reviewed to evaluate the explanatory power of the dependent variables. The significance level (p-value) in this study was set at 0.05. Results After data collection, a total of 375 students participated in this study. Among them, 177 were male students (47.2%), 187 were female students (49.9%), and 11 did not disclose their gender (2.9%). Regarding grade levels, 103 students were in Grade 8 (27.5%), 98 were in Grade 9 (26.1%), 77 were in Grade 10 (20.5%), and 97 were in Grade 11 (25.9%). Table 1 Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Between Variables. M SD 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. SS 5.15 1.22 1 0.370 *** 0.297 *** 0.429 *** -0.345 *** -0.402 *** 2. SE 2.56 0.52 1 0.440 *** 0.440 *** -0.330 *** -0.505 *** 3. MAS 3.05 0.85 1 0.319 *** -0.319 *** -0.373 *** 4. SLS 4.10 0.91 1 -0.389 *** -0.416 *** 5. EP 0.70 0.30 1 0.518 *** 6. IP 0.72 0.33 1 Note: SS = Social Support, SE = Self-Esteem, MAS = Mastery, SLS = Student’s Life Satisfaction, EP = Externalizing Problems, IP = Internalizing Problems, *** p < 0.001. The Pearson correlation analysis indicated that SS was positively correlated with SE (r = 0.370, p < 0.001), MAS (r = 00.297, p < 0.001), and SLS (r = 00.429, p < 0.001)0. In contrast, SS showed a negative correlation with EP (r = − 0.345, p < 0.001) and IP (r = − 0.402, p < 0.001). SE was positively correlated with SLS (r = 0.440, p < 0.001) but negatively correlated with EP (r = − 0.330, p < 0.001) and IP (r = − 0.505, p < 0.001). MAS was positively correlated with SLS (r = 0.319, p < 0.001) but negatively correlated with EP (r = − 0.319, p < 0.001) and IP (r = − 0.373, p < 0.001). Table 2 Summary of Factor Loadings, Reliability, and Average Variance Extracted. Items Loadings T Values Cronbach’s α Composite Reliability AVE Social Support 0.856 0.886 0.495 SS1 ← SS 0.711 20.344 SS2 ← SS 0.788 25.127 SS3 ← SS 0.725 17.917 SS4 ← SS 0.652 13.339 SS5 ← SS 0.694 19.167 SS6 ← SS 0.636 12.453 SS7 ← SS 0.784 28.946 SS8 ← SS 0.616 11.717 Self-Esteem 0.785 0.832 0.346 SE1 ← SE 0.701 21.565 SE2R ← SE 0.384 4.366 SE3 ← SE 0.605 12.863 SE4 ← SE 0.558 10.542 SE5R ← SE 0.630 9.751 SE6R ← SE 0.518 6.744 SE7 ← SE 0.637 13.810 SE8R ← SE 0.237 2.934 SE9R ← SE 0.701 14.121 SE10 ← SE 0.721 22.453 Mastery 0.784 0.853 0.539 MAS1 ← MAS 0.677 17.011 MAS2 ← MAS 0.797 29.530 MAS3 ← MAS 0.729 20.125 MAS4 ← MAS 0.816 40.498 MAS5 ← MAS 0.638 14.212 Student’s Life Satisfaction 0.766 0.840 0.453 SLSS1 ← SLSS 0.863 45.665 SLSS2 ← SLSS 0.837 30.304 SLSS3R ← SLSS 0.207 2.232 SLSS4R ← SLSS 0.535 8.012 SLSS5 ← SLSS 0.783 21.309 SLSS6 ← SLSS 0.628 11.478 SLSS7 ← SLSS ← 0.623 12.595 Externalizing Problems 0.613 0.723 0.253 SDQ1_EX ← EP 0.552 8.971 SDQ3_EX ← EP 0.649 13.331 SDQ5R_EX ← EP -0.151 1.726 SDQ7_EX ← EP 0.666 14.147 SDQ9_EX ← EP 0.278 2.955 SDQ12_EX ← EP 0.652 15.371 SDQ14_EX ← EP 0.632 12.877 SDQ16R_EX ← EP 0.373 4.560 SDQ17_EX ← EP 0.330 3.611 SDQ20R_EX ← EP 0.439 5.611 Internalizing Problems 0.661 0.757 0.277 SDQ2_IN ← IP 0.529 10.630 SDQ4_IN ← IP 0.518 9.698 SDQ6_IN ← IP 0.725 21.295 SDQ8R_IN ← IP 0.201 2.582 SDQ10_IN ← IP 0.716 21.211 SDQ11R_IN ← IP 0.398 6.304 SDQ13_IN ← IP 0.527 9.827 SDQ15_IN ← IP 0.380 6.106 SDQ18_IN ← IP 0.006 0.077 SDQ19_IN ← IP 0.751 24.250 Note: SS = Social Support, SE = Self-Esteem, MAS = Mastery, SLS = Student’s Life Satisfaction, EP = Externalizing Problems, IP = Internalizing Problems. In the measurement model, the variables in this study demonstrated good reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha values exceeding 0.70 [ 44 ] and composite reliability values greater than 0.70 [ 45 ]. Some variables showed reliability values between 0.60 and 0.70, which are still acceptable for exploratory studies [ 46 ]. The HTMT values were equal to or below 0.90 (see Table 3 ), indicating that discriminant validity was established [ 47 ]. Most AVE values were below 0.50, except for the MAS variable [ 48 ]. However, because the reliability and discriminant validity indices met acceptable or good thresholds, all variables were retained for subsequent analyses. Table 3 Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT). 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. SS – 0.477 0.361 0.519 0.547 0.450 2. SE – 0.564 0.579 0.723 0.570 3. MAS – 0.405 0.565 0.455 4. SLS – 0.600 0.540 5. EP – 0.900 6. IP – Note: SS = Social Support, SE = Self-Esteem, MAS = Mastery, SLS = Student’s Life Satisfaction, EP = Externalizing Problems, IP = Internalizing Problems. In the structural model, all VIF values were below 5, indicating no multicollinearity among the independent variables [ 49 ]. The variables SS, SE, and MAS explained the dependent variables SLS, EP, and IP, with R 2 values of 30.4% (R 2 adjusted = 0.298), 24.2% (R 2 adjusted = 0.236), and 39.1% (R 2 adjusted = 0.386), respectively. All f 2 effect sizes were greater than 0.02, indicating that the independent variables had meaningful effects on the dependent variables [ 50 ]. Table 4 Summary of Direct Effects. Path β p-value 95% Confidence Intervals Lower Bound Upper Bound SS → SE 0.456 < 0.001 0.378 0.541 SS → MAS 0.305 < 0.001 0.200 0.411 SS → SLS 0.268 < 0.001 0.158 0.384 SS → EP -0.175 0.002 -0.292 -0.065 SS → IP -0.156 0.002 -0.255 -0.058 SE → SLS 0.321 < 0.001 0.201 0.438 SE → EP -0.278 < 0.001 -0.403 -0.151 SE → IP -0.418 < 0.001 -0.518 -0.320 MAS → SLS 0.093 0.081 -0.013 0.199 MAS → EP -0.169 0.018 -0.317 -0.037 MAS → IP -0.197 < 0.001 -0.295 -0.108 Note: SS = Social Support, SE = Self-Esteem, MAS = Mastery, SLS = Student’s Life Satisfaction, EP = Externalizing Problems, IP = Internalizing Problems. Table 4 presents the direct path coefficients among the variables. The results show that SS had a positive effect on SE (β = 0.456, p < 0.001), on MAS (β = 0.305, p < 0.001), and on SLS (β = 0.268, p < 0.001). SS had a negative effect on EP (β = −0.175, p = 0.002) and on IP (β = −0.156, p = 0.002). SE had a positive effect on SLS (β = 0.321, p < 0.001) and negative effects on EP (β = −0.278, p < 0.001) and IP (β = −0.418, p .05) but showed negative effects on EP (β = −0.169, p = 0.018) and IP (β = −0.197, p < 0.001). Table 5 Summary of Indirect Effects. Path β p-value 95% Confidence Intervals Lower Bound Upper Bound SS → SE → SLS 0.146 < 0.001 0.090 0.212 SS → SE → EP -0.127 < 0.001 -0.196 -0.068 SS → SE → IP -0.191 < 0.001 -0.254 -0.141 SS → MAS → SLS 0.028 0.106 -0.004 0.066 SS → MAS → EP -0.051 0.045 -0.111 -0.010 SS → MAS → IP -0.060 0.002 -0.106 -0.028 Note: SS = Social Support, SE = Self-Esteem, MAS = Mastery, SLS = Student’s Life Satisfaction, EP = Externalizing Problems, IP = Internalizing Problems. Table 5 presents the indirect path coefficients among the variables. SE served as a positive mediator in the relationship between SS and SLS (β = 0.146, p < 0.001). SE also acted as a negative mediator in the relationships between SS and EP (β = −0.127, p < 0.001) and between SS and IP (β = −0.191, p 0.05). However, MAS functioned as a negative mediator in the relationships between SS and EP (β = −0.051, p = 0.045) and between SS and IP (β = −0.060, p = 0.002). Discussion General Discussion This study aimed to explore the relationships among social support, psychological resources, and well‑being in students. The analysis yielded several key insights. First, social support positively predicted self‑esteem, mastery, and students’ life satisfaction, while it negatively predicted internalizing problems and externalizing problems (H 01 –H 04 were confirmed). Self‑esteem positively predicted students’ life satisfaction and negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems (H 05 and H 07 were confirmed). Furthermore, self‑esteem acted as a positive mediator in the relationship between social support and students’ life satisfaction (H 06 was confirmed) and as a negative mediator in the relationship between social support and both internalizing and externalizing problems (H 08 was confirmed). Mastery did not significantly predict students’ life satisfaction (H 09 was rejected), but it negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems (H 11 was confirmed). Mastery did not mediate the relationship between social support and students’ life satisfaction (H 10 was rejected). However, mastery acted as a negative mediator in the relationship between social support and both internalizing and externalizing problems (H 12 was confirmed). Social support, self-esteem, and mastery The findings of this study show that social support has a direct and positive effect on students’ self‑esteem. Through the companionship and assistance of family, peers, and teachers, students receive emotional, informational, and practical resources that nurture a sense of belonging, acceptance, and appreciation of their personal worth. On an emotional level, social support provides reassurance, encouragement, and deep understanding, enabling students to feel recognized and valued, which directly strengthens their self‑esteem and self‑worth [ 51 – 55 ]. Supportive relationships also offer positive feedback and acknowledgment of students’ abilities and achievements, further reinforcing their confidence in their own competence and value [ 51 , 53 , 56 ]. In addition, social support helps students cope more effectively with academic and personal challenges, reducing the negative impact of stress and obstacles on their self‑esteem [ 52 , 54 , 55 ]. Notably, support from parents, peers, and teachers all play significant roles in enhancing self‑esteem, with parental and teacher care and guidance often having the most profound influence [ 24 , 51 , 53 , 56 ]. Therefore, a positive social support network forms a solid foundation for students to build confidence in their self‑worth and achieve more holistic development throughout their growth. The findings of this study indicate that social support has a direct and positive effect on students’ mastery. Social support fosters mastery in secondary school students by providing them with resources, encouragement, and companionship from family, peers, and teachers, which in turn nurture motivation, confidence, and effective learning strategies. In terms of orientation, emotional and academic support from parents and teachers encourages students to pursue mastery goals, focusing on learning, deep understanding, and self‑improvement rather than merely aiming for grades or comparing themselves with others. Parental involvement, in particular, has been shown to be especially effective in shaping a mastery‑oriented attitude [ 25 , 57 , 58 ]. Moreover, social support strengthens students’ belief in their own abilities, helping them embrace challenges, persist through difficulties, and engage more actively in learning activities. These factors lay a foundation for deeper engagement and broader learning – core components of mastery [ 26 , 59 , 60 ]. Supportive home and school environments also promote the development of cognitive and metacognitive strategies, such as planning, monitoring progress, and self‑reflection, which enhance students’ mastery of knowledge [ 26 , 57 ]. In addition, social support reduces test anxiety and academic pressure, enabling students to focus on self‑improvement and skill development rather than fear of failure [ 25 , 57 ]. In summary, social support serves as a powerful lever that directly promotes mastery orientation, sustains students’ confidence, and strengthens their capacity for deep and meaningful learning. Social support, life satisfaction, and internalizing/externalizing behavior The results of this study show that social support has a direct and positive effect on life satisfaction among secondary school students. Through emotional, practical, and social resources, students feel valued, connected to their community, and confident in their ability to overcome challenges. On the emotional level, social support provides students with a sense of safety, acceptance, and belonging, directly fostering happiness and deeper life satisfaction. Among the various sources of support, family support has been shown to have the strongest direct association with life satisfaction compared with other sources [ 28 , 30 , 61 , 62 ]. Furthermore, supportive relationships help students manage stress and negative emotions, enabling them to cope more effectively with academic and personal difficulties, which in turn enhances overall life satisfaction [ 63 , 64 ]. In addition, support from teachers, classmates, and peers encourages students to participate more actively in academic and social activities, allowing them to build richer and more positive experiences, thereby significantly increasing life satisfaction [ 30 , 62 , 65 ]. Therefore, social support serves as a direct source of strength that helps secondary school students maintain a positive mental state, achieve holistic development, and experience greater happiness in their lives. Social support has a direct and negative influence on both internalizing and externalizing problems among secondary school students. In other words, higher levels of social support are associated with fewer behavioral and emotional difficulties. For internalizing problems, emotional support from peers, parents, and teachers significantly reduces symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and withdrawal. When students feel understood and cared for, they are less likely to internalize stress and negative emotions, thereby substantially decreasing internalizing behaviors [ 15 , 33 , 35 ]. Notably, support from classmates has a particularly strong effect in reducing internalizing behaviors, and this effect is even more evident among female students, highlighting the importance of a positive peer environment [ 15 , 33 ]. Regarding externalizing problems, parental support plays a central role in reducing aggressive behaviors, rule violations, and defiance. In addition, support from peers helps decrease the likelihood of being bullied, which indirectly contributes to lowering externalizing behaviors [ 15 , 33 ]. A supportive environment also buffers the negative effects of stress and suboptimal parenting practices on the later development of externalizing behaviors [ 35 ]. Therefore, social support functions as a protective shield that helps secondary school students maintain emotional stability and display more adaptive behaviors throughout their developmental process. Self-esteem, life satisfaction, and internalizing/externalizing behavior The findings of this study show that self‑esteem has a direct and positive influence on students’ life satisfaction. Self‑esteem contributes to life satisfaction by shaping how students perceive their own worth, regulate their emotions, and build social relationships. When students possess high self‑esteem, they tend to hold positive self‑perceptions, feel valuable and competent, and believe they are worthy of respect. These perceptions foster a deeper sense of happiness and overall satisfaction with life [ 36 , 37 , 66 , 67 ]. High self‑esteem also supports emotional well‑being, helping students experience fewer negative states such as anxiety and depression and more frequent positive emotions, which directly enhances life satisfaction [ 36 , 66 , 68 ]. In addition, self‑esteem enables students to cope more effectively with academic pressure and social difficulties, strengthens their resilience after setbacks, and nurtures inner stability, thereby reinforcing overall life satisfaction [ 36 , 69 , 70 ]. Furthermore, confidence in their own value allows students with higher self‑esteem to form and maintain positive relationships with peers and teachers, creating a healthy social support network, an important foundation for fostering life satisfaction [ 71 , 72 ]. In sum, self‑esteem is not only a personal attribute but also a core factor that directly promotes happiness and life satisfaction during students’ developmental years. Self‑esteem also exerts a direct negative influence on both internalizing and externalizing problems among secondary school students. In other words, as self‑esteem increases, the occurrence of these behavioral and emotional problems decreases markedly. Regarding internalizing behaviors, numerous studies have shown that students with low self‑esteem are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. They often hold negative self‑perceptions, withdraw socially, and participate less in social activities, which in turn heightens internalizing symptoms [ 38 , 40 , 73 , 74 ]. In contrast, higher self‑esteem serves as a psychological buffer, helping students mitigate the adverse effects of difficult experiences such as poor academic performance or bullying, thereby reducing the development of internalizing problems [ 38 – 40 ]. For externalizing behaviors, students with low self‑esteem often struggle with emotion regulation and social skills, leading to increased aggression, defiance, or rule‑breaking [ 38 , 75 , 76 ]. Conversely, higher self‑esteem enables better self‑control and supports the maintenance of positive peer relationships, directly lowering the risk of externalizing behaviors [ 38 , 41 , 76 ]. Therefore, fostering strong self‑esteem in secondary school students functions as a dual protective factor, simultaneously reducing internalizing problems and minimizing externalizing behaviors, which contributes to more stable and well‑balanced development in both academic and social domains. Mastery, life satisfaction, and internalizing/externalizing behavior The results of this study suggest that mastery did not show a direct effect on students’ life satisfaction. However, the broader literature does not support the view that mastery has no influence on life satisfaction among secondary school students. On the contrary, a growing body of evidence indicates that mastery orientation is positively associated with life satisfaction, although this relationship often operates through more indirect and nuanced pathways. Mastery goals have been shown to positively affect life satisfaction by fostering positive emotions, stronger engagement, meaningful relationships, a sense of purpose, and a sense of accomplishment [ 77 ]. Moreover, mastery orientation predicts higher levels of subjective well‑being, with persistence and adaptability functioning as key mediators that translate mastery goals into feelings of life satisfaction [ 78 ]. Research also highlights that both academic achievement and life satisfaction are closely linked to mastery goals, especially when students receive autonomy support from teachers, which satisfies psychological needs and amplifies the benefits of mastery orientation [ 42 ]. It is important to note that not all forms of mastery exert the same level of influence. Task‑based competence appears to have a more direct effect, whereas self‑referenced competence (comparing one’s current performance with past performance) often affects life satisfaction indirectly through positive psychological states [ 77 ]. In other words, rather than having no effect, mastery contributes meaningfully to students’ life satisfaction, but this contribution is often mediated by factors such as persistence, adaptability, and the fulfillment of psychological needs, rather than appearing solely as a direct effect [ 42 , 77 , 78 ]. However, mastery exerts a direct and negative influence on both internalizing and externalizing problems among students. In other words, the stronger students’ mastery orientation, the lower the occurrence of behavioral difficulties. Empirical evidence shows that students in classrooms characterized by mastery goal structures and close teacher–student relationships report the lowest levels of both types of behavioral problems compared with other classroom profiles, confirming the clear protective role of mastery orientation [ 43 ]. Conversely, classrooms with low mastery orientation and high levels of conflict are associated with the highest levels of behavioral problems, indicating that the absence of mastery orientation combined with a lack of supportive relationships increases the risk of negative behaviors [ 43 ]. The underlying mechanism is explained by the way mastery goals help students reduce negative emotions, focus on personal progress, and avoid impulsive reactions. This positive effect is further strengthened when mastery orientation is accompanied by supportive relationships with teachers; however, even on its own, mastery orientation is an important direct factor that contributes to reducing behavioral difficulties in secondary school students [ 43 ]. Self-esteem as mediator The results of this study indicate that self‑esteem functions as a positive mediator in the relationship between social support and life satisfaction among students. Self‑esteem plays an important mediating role in this relationship, suggesting that the influence of a supportive environment extends beyond an immediate sense of safety and connectedness to a deeper process of developing and reinforcing one’s self‑worth. A considerable body of research has clearly demonstrated that self‑esteem partially or even fully mediates this relationship. In other words, social support can enhance life satisfaction not only directly but also indirectly through its positive effect on self‑esteem [ 79 – 81 ]. Notably, some models have identified self‑esteem as a full mediator, indicating that the positive impact of social support on life satisfaction is entirely explained by the increase in self‑esteem [ 79 ]. This effect has been consistently observed across different age groups, genders, and cultural contexts, highlighting that fostering self‑esteem through social support networks is a critical foundation for improving happiness and life satisfaction among secondary school students [ 79 – 81 ]. Self‑esteem also serves as a negative mediating factor in the relationship between social support and internalizing or externalizing behaviors among students. It plays a crucial role as a negative mediator in this relationship, meaning that the beneficial effect of social support on reducing problem behaviors is largely transmitted through the enhancement of students’ self‑esteem. Specifically, when students receive strong social support from family, peers, and teachers, they tend to develop higher self‑esteem, feel more confident, valued, and accepted. This increase in self‑esteem, in turn, directly contributes to lowering the occurrence of undesirable behaviors by reducing internalizing symptoms and limiting externalizing behaviors. A growing body of research provides consistent evidence that the pathway from social support to reduced behavioral problems is explained through improved self‑esteem [ 54 , 55 , 82 ]. In other words, this mediation is “negative” in a positive sense: the higher the self‑esteem, the fewer behavioral problems are observed. These findings emphasize the importance of building and strengthening students’ self‑esteem within supportive environments as a key mechanism to prevent behavioral difficulties and to foster healthy psychosocial development. Mastery as mediator The findings of this study indicate that mastery does not serve as a mediating factor in the relationship between social support and life satisfaction among students. Existing research also does not support the view that mastery plays an important mediating role between social support and life satisfaction in secondary school students. Specifically, prior studies suggest that social support enhances life satisfaction primarily through other mediating factors such as self‑esteem, social connectedness, and a sense of belonging, rather than through mastery orientation [ 64 , 77 , 83 , 84 ]. This evidence indicates that although mastery orientation has its own positive value for personal development and academic outcomes, it is not a key pathway through which social support translates into greater life satisfaction among secondary school students. Instead, other psychosocial mechanisms are the critical factors linking the support students receive with their feelings of happiness and deeper satisfaction in life. The results of this study indicate that mastery also functioned as a negative mediator in the relationship between social support and students’ internalizing and externalizing behaviors. However, existing research does not consistently support the hypothesis that mastery serves as a significant negative mediator in the relationship between social support and internalizing or externalizing behaviors among secondary school students. In other words, although students in supportive environments created by teachers and peers tend to exhibit fewer behavioral problems, the pathway leading to these positive outcomes is not primarily through mastery‑related motivation or goals. Instead, other factors such as self‑esteem, autonomy, and the quality of peer relationships have been identified as more prominent mediating mechanisms [ 82 , 85 ]. Emotionally supportive classrooms may foster students’ engagement and mastery orientation, yet reductions in anxiety, depression, or aggressive behaviors are more directly associated with feelings of autonomy and social connectedness rather than the pursuit of mastery goals themselves [ 85 ]. Furthermore, profiles that combine mastery orientation with close teacher–student relationships have been linked to the lowest levels of problem behaviors; however, further analyses reveal that mastery does not operate as a mediating link in the pathway from social support to reduced maladaptive behaviors [ 43 ]. Implications The findings of this study provide several important implications for educational practice, school counseling, and the psychosocial development of students. First, confirming the positive role of social support in enhancing self‑esteem, fostering mastery, and improving mental health underscores the need for schools, teachers, and parents to prioritize creating an encouraging, caring, and well‑connected environment. Support from family, peers, and teachers not only directly improves students’ life satisfaction but also indirectly contributes through self‑esteem, helping reduce internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Fostering self‑esteem and promoting a mastery orientation enable students to maintain academic motivation, build confidence, and regulate their behaviors more effectively. Therefore, educational programs should integrate activities that strengthen social support networks, encourage constructive feedback, and create opportunities for students to develop emotional self‑management skills as well as pursue mastery‑oriented learning goals. Limitations This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the findings. First, the use of a cross‑sectional design prevents the establishment of definitive causal relationships among the studied variables; the analysis is limited to correlations and modeled effects. Second, the sample was drawn from middle and high school students in a specific geographical area, which may restrict the generalizability of the results to other educational and cultural contexts. Third, all variables were measured through students’ self‑report, which may be influenced by social desirability bias or response tendencies. Finally, although PLS‑SEM was employed to examine both direct and mediating relationships, the study did not include other control variables, such as socioeconomic status, parenting styles, or personality traits, that might also affect the outcomes. Recommendations for Future Research Future research should adopt a longitudinal design to examine the causal relationships among social support, self‑esteem, mastery, and students’ psychosocial outcomes more clearly. In addition, future studies should expand the sample to include students from diverse regions and cultural contexts to enhance the generalizability of the findings. Incorporating additional data sources, such as teacher or parent evaluations and direct behavioral observations, would also improve the reliability of the results. Further investigations could explore the roles of potential moderators such as gender, grade level, or personality traits, as well as examine other relevant factors to better understand the complex pathways linking social support, psychological resources, and students’ well‑being and behaviors. Employing more advanced analytical techniques, such as multi‑group analysis or moderated mediation models, would also provide deeper insights into the contribution of each factor within these relationships. Conclusion This study addressed the problem of how social support relates to psychological resources and well‑being among school students. The findings showed that social support positively predicted self‑esteem, mastery, and life satisfaction, while it negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems. Self‑esteem played an important mediating role, strengthening the link between social support and both well‑being and reduced behavioral difficulties, whereas mastery mainly contributed to lowering problem behaviors. These results highlight the significance of fostering supportive environments in schools and families to enhance students’ confidence, motivation, and mental health. In practice, promoting strong social networks and self‑esteem can help students adapt better, achieve higher academic engagement, and maintain healthier emotional and behavioral development. Declarations Acknowledgements The authors sincerely thank all participating students for their valuable time and cooperation throughout the survey process. We also extend our deep gratitude to the teachers and the school administration for their generous support and for creating favorable conditions that enabled the successful implementation of this study. Ethics Approval Statement The research proposal was reviewed and approved by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) committee (reference number 07/2024/VI/HĐKHXH). All methods were performed in accordance with the guidelines stipulated in the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were informed about the study’s purpose and procedures, and written informed consent was obtained from each individual prior to participation. Consent to Participate Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants and their parents or legal guardians included in the study. Conflict of Interest Disclosure On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest. Funding Statement This research is funded by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under grant number 501.02-2023.06. 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Students' ratings of school climate as a moderator between self-esteem and internalizing symptoms in a community-based high school population. Psychology in the Schools. 2023;60(11):4701-20. doi: 10.1002/pits.22999. Kreski NT, Askari MS, Cerdá M, Chen Q, Hasin DS, Martins SS, et al. Changing adolescent activity patterns and the correlation of self-esteem and externalizing mental health symptoms across time: results from the USA from 1991 through 2020. Psychological Medicine. 2024;54(1):169-77. doi: 10.1017/S0033291723001150. Zimmermann F, Schütte K, Taskinen P, Köller O. Reciprocal effects between adolescent externalizing problems and measures of achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology. 2013;105(3):747-61. doi: 10.1037/a0032793. Hidayat R, Liu S, Mohd Saad MR, Hermandra. The Role of Mastery Goal on Life Satisfaction Using PERMA as A Mediator for College Students. Emerging Science Journal. 2023;7:238-52. doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-SIED2-018. Montano RLT. Mastery orientation predicts greater subjective well-being: perseverance and adaptability as mediators. Educational and Developmental Psychologist. 2024;41(1):39-49. doi: 10.1080/20590776.2023.2285463. Kong F, You X. Loneliness and Self-Esteem as Mediators Between Social Support and Life Satisfaction in Late Adolescence. Social Indicators Research. 2013;110(1):271-9. doi: 10.1007/s11205-011-9930-6. Kong F, Zhao J, You X. Self-Esteem as Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship Between Social Support and Subjective Well-Being Among Chinese University Students. Social Indicators Research. 2013;112(1):151-61. doi: 10.1007/s11205-012-0044-6. Caqueo-Urízar A, Atencio D, Urzúa A, Flores J. Integration, Social Competence and Life Satisfaction: the Mediating Effect of Resilience and Self-Esteem in Adolescents. Child Indicators Research. 2022;15(2):617-29. doi: 10.1007/s12187-021-09907-z. Zhang R, Qiu Z, Li Y, Liu L, Zhi S. Teacher support, peer support, and externalizing problems among left-behind children in rural China: Sequential mediation by self-esteem and self-control. Children and Youth Services Review. 2021;121:105824. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105824. Ulmanen S, Tikkanen L, Pyhältö K. Sense of relatedness and study engagement as mediators between students’ peer support and life satisfaction. European Journal of Psychology of Education. 2024;39(3):2603-17. doi: 10.1007/s10212-024-00858-x. Oh S, Cho H. The mediating effect of grit and social support on the relationship between self-determination and life satisfaction in nursing students. Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education. 2023;29(3):281-91. doi: 10.5977/jkasne.2023.29.3.281. Ruzek EA, Hafen CA, Allen JP, Gregory A, Mikami AY, Pianta RC. How teacher emotional support motivates students: The mediating roles of perceived peer relatedness, autonomy support, and competence. Learning and Instruction. 2016;42:95-103. doi: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.01.004. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7247209","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":514511784,"identity":"373e9974-131a-41c0-a0c7-28d028f5db1c","order_by":0,"name":"Le-Hang Thi Do","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of Sociology and Psychology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Le-Hang","middleName":"Thi","lastName":"Do","suffix":""},{"id":514511785,"identity":"25d3bfb6-5ec8-4f2f-928c-d06a4fe60d47","order_by":1,"name":"Mai-Huong Thi Phan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of Sociology and Psychology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mai-Huong","middleName":"Thi","lastName":"Phan","suffix":""},{"id":514511786,"identity":"6ff7a8f4-07e6-43c9-b002-444226f6a6fc","order_by":2,"name":"Hong-Van Thi Dinh","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Hue University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hong-Van","middleName":"Thi","lastName":"Dinh","suffix":""},{"id":514511787,"identity":"a9854f89-e51c-404b-862d-c88d2684ec89","order_by":3,"name":"Phuong-Hoa Thi Nguyen","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA8UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCTB5AML5AMRs7KRoYZwB0sJMihZmHjBJQIe5dI/h44Jfd+T4Z7c/k7b5tU2ej5mB8cPHHNxaLOecMTae2ffMWOLOGTPp3L7bhm3MDMySM7fh1mJwI8dMmrfncGLDjRw26dye24xALWzMvMRomX8j/Zm0Zc9te+K08Pw4nLjhRoKZNMOP24kEtVjOSCs25m04bGx454yxZW/D7eQ2ZsZmvH4xl0je+Jjnz2E5udvtD2/8+HPbdn5788EPH/E5DEQwtjGAIohFAsxgYGzArR6mheEPWAvzBzBjFIyCUTAKRgEaAAApr1RUXETztgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of Sociology and Psychology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Phuong-Hoa","middleName":"Thi","lastName":"Nguyen","suffix":""},{"id":514511788,"identity":"588f7886-efaf-477a-b880-bac7691f37ee","order_by":4,"name":"Thu Minh Pham","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of Sociology and Psychology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Thu","middleName":"Minh","lastName":"Pham","suffix":""},{"id":514511789,"identity":"9ab4c3b8-9df2-48c5-a9ce-9eb1693aa814","order_by":5,"name":"Lich Thi Luu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of Sociology and Psychology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lich","middleName":"Thi","lastName":"Luu","suffix":""},{"id":514511790,"identity":"bed12f62-aa10-4175-9c7a-fb15075053ad","order_by":6,"name":"Thanh-Hue Thi Hoang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of Sociology and Psychology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Thanh-Hue","middleName":"Thi","lastName":"Hoang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-30 00:53:15","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7247209/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7247209/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":91323312,"identity":"e1d540b3-d896-4f27-9335-d4f8a18667e0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-15 09:37:32","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":78320,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe PLS-SEM Model.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: SS = Social Support, SE = Self-Esteem, MAS = Mastery, SLS = Student’s Life Satisfaction, EP = Externalizing Problems, IP = Internalizing Problems.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7247209/v1/61c69a16abe30d73efd6b34d.png"},{"id":94650076,"identity":"aa34548c-45f5-46fb-b44c-22ebb786a563","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-29 09:25:07","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1422372,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7247209/v1/29cccce7-f6d9-48e8-83cd-c8eceac510bc.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Social Support and Mental Health in School Students: Parallel Mediation Effects of Self‑Esteem and Mastery","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eSchool mental health plays a crucial role for secondary school students because it directly influences their academic achievement, social development, and overall well‑being. Students with good mental health \u0026ndash; characterized by optimism, life satisfaction, and fewer experiences of distress \u0026ndash; tend to achieve higher academic performance compared to those with psychological difficulties or poor mental health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Mental health and health literacy are considered key pathways linking school counseling services and psychological support to improvements in both academic outcomes and physical health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, health education and encouragement to participate in physical activities contribute significantly to better mental health, which in turn lays the foundation for improved academic performance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Beyond academic outcomes, mental health is essential for students\u0026rsquo; emotional and social development. A stable psychological state enables them to manage stress, build resilience, and maintain motivation throughout their learning process [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR6 CR7\" citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, a supportive environment \u0026ndash; where parents are actively involved and teacher\u0026ndash;student relationships are built on trust and respect \u0026ndash; can substantially reduce mental health problems and suicidal ideation, particularly during the sensitive stage of lower secondary education [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR10\" citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial support is regarded as one of the strongest protective factors for secondary school students, as it helps reduce stress, enhance mental health, and promote success both academically and socially. Previous studies have shown that support from family, peers, and school staff is closely associated with better mental health and a lower risk of poor well‑being, even among students facing adversity or lacking support at home [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR13 CR14\" citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. Social support is also linked to lower levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, while fostering better mental health and higher life satisfaction [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR15 CR16\" citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. Beyond psychological benefits, social support contributes to stronger academic engagement and greater resilience. When students receive encouragement from peers and teachers, they tend to feel more motivated, show less doubt about their abilities, and achieve higher academic outcomes, particularly during critical school transitions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, social support reduces the likelihood of school dropout, alleviates burnout, and limits problematic behaviors such as bullying or impulsivity [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR19\" citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. Importantly, by strengthening self‑esteem and emotion regulation, social support also protects students from social anxiety and the risk of internet addiction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial support and self‑esteem are closely interconnected and mutually reinforcing among secondary school students, forming a vital foundation for their psychosocial development. When students receive higher levels of support from family, peers, and teachers, they tend to develop and maintain higher self‑esteem, which in turn enhances their sense of happiness, confidence, resilience, and success in both academic and personal domains. Numerous studies have demonstrated that social support from parents, teachers, and peers directly contributes to improving students\u0026rsquo; self‑esteem across various age groups and cultural contexts [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR23\" citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. Notably, the type of support that exerts the strongest influence on self‑esteem may vary by developmental stage: parental and teacher support play a more prominent role for younger students, whereas peer and teacher support become more significant for older students [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e01\u003c/sub\u003e: Social support would be positively associated with self-esteem.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial support plays a pivotal role in fostering mastery among secondary school students, as it provides motivation, guidance, and confidence in their own abilities. Previous studies have shown that social support, particularly from parents and teachers, is a strong predictor of the development of mastery goals [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR26\" citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. Notably, emotional support from parents helps stimulate students\u0026rsquo; passion for learning and nurtures their intrinsic motivation, whereas academic support, guidance, and positive feedback from teachers act as catalysts that encourage students to persist in pursuing and achieving mastery goals [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR26\" citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e02\u003c/sub\u003e: Social support would be positively associated with mastery.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial support is closely and consistently associated with life satisfaction among secondary school students, as these sources of support help them feel valued, heard, and provided with a reliable foundation to cope with stress, thereby maintaining both physical and mental health. Among these sources, family support is considered the most influential factor in adolescents\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction, even surpassing support from peers, classmates, or teachers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, other sources such as peers, classmates, and teachers also play an essential role in fostering life satisfaction, particularly at younger ages when students need greater encouragement and companionship within the school environment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e03\u003c/sub\u003e: Social support would be positively associated with students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial support is considered a strong protective factor against both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Numerous studies have demonstrated that support from mothers, fathers, classmates, and close friends is significantly associated with reduced internalizing problems in both male and female students. In particular, parental support can substantially compensate for a lack of support from classmates, especially for male students, thereby alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, support from classmates and peers plays an important role in reducing internalizing behaviors by limiting experiences of bullying, as a positive peer environment greatly decreases the likelihood of such problems [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. Encouragement and companionship from teachers, peers, and the school community also help mitigate the negative impact of bullying and victimization, which is particularly beneficial for male students in reducing internalized stress [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegarding externalizing behaviors, parental support stands out as a key predictor of reduced aggressive tendencies and rule‑breaking behaviors. While support from classmates does not directly reduce externalizing behaviors, it indirectly mitigates peer victimization, thereby lowering the risk of negative behavioral manifestations [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, early social support, particularly from parents, can significantly buffer the effects of parental psychological distress or suboptimal parenting styles on later externalizing behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, support from teachers and peers has also been identified as an independent predictor of reduced externalizing symptoms, although parental support remains the most influential factor [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e04\u003c/sub\u003e: Social support would be negatively associated with internalizing/externalizing behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf‑esteem is closely and positively associated with life satisfaction among secondary school students, highlighting its role as an important psychological foundation that nurtures personal happiness and healthy development. A substantial body of research consistently shows that students with higher self‑esteem tend to report greater life satisfaction, whereas those with lower self‑esteem often experience reduced satisfaction with their lives [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. This relationship has been found to be stable across various cultures, age groups, and educational settings, underscoring the broad and enduring influence of self‑esteem on students\u0026rsquo; mental well‑being. Notably, some studies have further indicated that self‑esteem alone can account for a significant proportion of the variance in life satisfaction, sometimes exerting a stronger effect than many other psychological factors or personality traits [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e05\u003c/sub\u003e: Self-esteem would be positively associated with students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e06\u003c/sub\u003e: Self-esteem would moderate the relationship between social support and students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf‑esteem is closely and bidirectionally associated with both internalizing and externalizing behaviors, indicating that it is a core psychological factor with a profound influence on students\u0026rsquo; adaptation and development. A consistent body of research has shown that low self‑esteem is strongly linked to higher levels of both types of behaviors, even after controlling for variables such as age, gender, and academic ability [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR39 CR40\" citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e]. Among students with low self‑esteem, difficulties in regulating emotions and forming positive peer relationships often occur simultaneously, increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, as well as oppositional or disruptive behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. In contrast, high self‑esteem serves as a protective factor, enabling students to maintain confidence, emotional stability, and healthy social relationships, thereby significantly reducing both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e07\u003c/sub\u003e: Self-esteem would be negatively associated with internalizing/externalizing behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e08\u003c/sub\u003e: Self-esteem would moderate the relationship between social support and internalizing/externalizing behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMastery shows a clear positive association with life satisfaction among secondary school students, highlighting the role of mastery orientation as a psychological resource that promotes well‑being and holistic development. Research indicates that this relationship becomes even stronger when students receive autonomy support from teachers, which fulfills their psychological needs and enhances their sense of happiness [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]. Notably, the positive effect of mastery goals on life satisfaction appears to be more pronounced among female students, suggesting potential gender differences in how mastery orientation contributes to well‑being [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e09\u003c/sub\u003e: Mastery would be positively associated with students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e10\u003c/sub\u003e: Mastery would moderate the relationship between social support and students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMastery demonstrates a clear protective relationship with both internalizing and externalizing behaviors, indicating that a mastery orientation is an important psychological resource that helps students adapt more effectively in both learning and daily life. When students learn in an environment that emphasizes mastery, they are less likely to exhibit behavioral and emotional problems. In particular, when mastery orientation is combined with close and supportive teacher\u0026ndash;student relationships, students show the lowest levels of both externalizing and internalizing behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. In contrast, in classrooms with low mastery orientation and strained teacher\u0026ndash;student relationships, students tend to experience greater behavioral and emotional difficulties, with the highest levels of both externalizing and internalizing behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e11\u003c/sub\u003e: Mastery would be negatively associated with internalizing/externalizing behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e12\u003c/sub\u003e: Mastery would moderate the relationship between social support and internalizing/externalizing behavior.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods and materials","content":"\u003ch2\u003eResearch Design\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study employed a quantitative, cross‑sectional research design and utilized a convenience sampling method with participants drawn from middle and high school students at several schools in Hanoi. Data collection was conducted in early 2025 using a self‑administered questionnaire consisting of three main sections. The first section provided information about the study and requested informed consent; only students who agreed to participate proceeded to the next sections. The second section included standardized scales measuring the variables in the research model, namely social support, psychological resources, and students\u0026rsquo; well‑being. The final section collected basic demographic information such as gender, grade level, and age. The questionnaire was designed to be clear, concise, and age‑appropriate for students. The study strictly adhered to ethical principles, ensuring voluntary participation, confidentiality, and the right to withdraw at any time without any negative consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMeasurements\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSocial Support\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, developed by Zimet (1988), was used in this study to measure students\u0026rsquo; perceived social support. The original scale consists of 12 items divided into three subscales; however, only two subscales were employed in this study \u0026ndash; Family Support (4 items) and Friend Support (4 items) \u0026ndash; as these represent the primary sources of support for middle and high school students. All items were rated on a 7‑point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Very strongly disagree) to 7 (Very strongly agree), with higher total scores indicating higher levels of perceived social support. The scale demonstrated good reliability in the original study, with Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.88 and a three‑month test\u0026ndash;retest reliability of Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.85 (Zimet, 1988). In the present study, Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α was 0.856, indicating good reliability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSelf-Esteem\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Rosenberg Self‑Esteem Scale, developed by Rosenberg (1979), was used in this study to measure students\u0026rsquo; self‑esteem. The original scale consists of 10 items, with Items 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9 reverse‑coded before scoring. All items were rated on a 4‑point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 4 (Strongly agree), with higher total scores indicating more positive self‑esteem among students. The scale demonstrated good reliability in the original study, with Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.92 (Rosenberg, 1979). In the present study, Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α was 0.785, indicating good reliability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMastery\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Pearlin Mastery Scale, developed by Pearlin and Schooler (1978), was used in this study to assess students\u0026rsquo; sense of mastery. The original scale consists of seven items, with negatively worded items reverse‑coded before scoring. In this study, the shortened five‑item version proposed by Comijs (2011) was employed. To facilitate students\u0026rsquo; responses and support data analysis, items were rated on a 5‑point Likert scale ranging from 5 (Strongly disagree) to 1 (Strongly agree), so that higher total scores indicated greater mastery. The scale showed acceptable reliability in Penninx\u0026rsquo;s (1998) study, with Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.67. In the present study, Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α was 0.784, indicating good reliability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eStudent’s Life Satisfaction\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Student\u0026rsquo;s Life Satisfaction Scale, developed by Huebner (1991), was used in this study to measure students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction. The original scale consists of seven items, with Items 3 and 4 reverse‑coded prior to analysis. All items were rated on a 6‑point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 6 (Strongly agree), with higher total scores indicating higher levels of life satisfaction among students. The scale demonstrated good reliability in the original study, with Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.82 (Huebner, 1991). In the present study, Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α was 0.766, indicating good reliability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStrengths and Difficulties\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, developed by Goodman (1997), was used in this study to assess students\u0026rsquo; strengths and difficulties. The original scale consists of 25 items divided into five subscales: emotional symptoms (5 items), conduct problems (5 items), hyperactivity/inattention (5 items), peer relationship problems (5 items), and prosocial behaviour (5 items). However, this study used only 20 items, grouped into two broader domains as suggested by Goodman (2010): internalizing problems (emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems, 10 items) and externalizing problems (conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention, 10 items). Items were rated on a 3‑point Likert scale (0\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Not true, 1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Somewhat true, and 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Certainly true), with higher total scores indicating higher levels of the corresponding problem domains. The scale demonstrated good reliability in Goodman\u0026rsquo;s (2010) study, with Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α ranging from 0.65 to 0.85. In the present study, Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α was 0.613 for the externalizing problems scale and 0.661 for the internalizing problems scale, indicating acceptable reliability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEthical Considerations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This study was conducted in full compliance with ethical principles for research in the social sciences and psychology, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki regarding the rights and safety of participants. Prior to data collection, the research proposal was reviewed and approved by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) committee (reference number 07/2024/VI/HĐKHXH), ensuring that all procedures met international ethical standards. Participation in the survey was entirely voluntary; students were provided with clear information about the purpose, content, benefits, and their right to withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences. The questionnaire did not collect personally identifiable information, and all data were coded and used solely for research purposes to ensure anonymity and strict confidentiality. In addition, the study received consent and collaboration from the participating schools to facilitate data collection in a safe manner while respecting the rights of all participants.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter data collection, the dataset was cleaned, coded, and entered into statistical software for analysis. First, SPSS was used to conduct descriptive statistical analyses, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, to provide an overview of the sample characteristics and response patterns for each observed variable. In addition, SPSS was employed to calculate Pearson correlation coefficients among the key variables in the model, offering preliminary information about the linear relationships between them.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSubsequently, to test the research model and hypotheses, SmartPLS was used with the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The analysis procedure included two main steps: (1) assessing the measurement model by examining reliability (composite reliability, Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha), convergent validity (average variance extracted, AVE), and discriminant validity; and (2) evaluating the structural model to verify the causal relationships among variables, including both direct and mediating effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical significance was tested using the bootstrapping method with a resampling size of 5,000 to determine the reliability of the estimates and confidence intervals. In addition, model fit indices were reviewed to evaluate the explanatory power of the dependent variables. The significance level (p-value) in this study was set at 0.05.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eAfter data collection, a total of 375 students participated in this study. Among them, 177 were male students (47.2%), 187 were female students (49.9%), and 11 did not disclose their gender (2.9%). Regarding grade levels, 103 students were in Grade 8 (27.5%), 98 were in Grade 9 (26.1%), 77 were in Grade 10 (20.5%), and 97 were in Grade 11 (25.9%).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescriptive Statistics and Correlation Between Variables.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eM\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSD\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e1\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e2\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e3\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e4\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e5\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e6\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e1. SS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.370\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.297\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.429\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.345\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.402\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e2. SE\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.56\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.440\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.440\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.330\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.505\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e3. MAS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.05\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.85\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.319\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.319\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.373\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e4. SLS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.91\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.389\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.416\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e5. EP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.518\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e6. IP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.72\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"9\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNote: SS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social Support, SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Self-Esteem, MAS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Mastery, SLS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Student\u0026rsquo;s Life Satisfaction, EP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Externalizing Problems, IP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Internalizing Problems, \u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003ep\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Pearson correlation analysis indicated that SS was positively correlated with SE (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.370, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), MAS (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;00.297, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), and SLS (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;00.429, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001)0. In contrast, SS showed a negative correlation with EP (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.345, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and IP (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.402, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). SE was positively correlated with SLS (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.440, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) but negatively correlated with EP (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.330, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and IP (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.505, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). MAS was positively correlated with SLS (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.319, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) but negatively correlated with EP (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.319, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and IP (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.373, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSummary of Factor Loadings, Reliability, and Average Variance Extracted.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eItems\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLoadings\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT Values\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eComposite Reliability\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAVE\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSocial Support\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.856\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.886\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.495\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS1 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.711\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.344\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS2 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.788\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.127\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS3 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.725\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.917\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS4 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.652\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.339\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS5 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.694\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.167\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS6 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.636\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.453\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS7 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.784\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.946\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSS8 \u0026larr; SS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.616\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.717\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSelf-Esteem\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.785\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.832\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.346\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE1 \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.701\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.565\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE2R \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.384\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.366\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE3 \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.605\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.863\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE4 \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.558\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.542\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE5R \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.630\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.751\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE6R \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.744\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE7 \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.637\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.810\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE8R \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.237\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.934\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE9R \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.701\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.121\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSE10 \u0026larr; SE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.721\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.453\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMastery\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.784\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.853\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.539\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMAS1 \u0026larr; MAS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.677\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.011\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMAS2 \u0026larr; MAS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.797\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.530\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMAS3 \u0026larr; MAS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.729\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.125\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMAS4 \u0026larr; MAS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.816\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40.498\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMAS5 \u0026larr; MAS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.638\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.212\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStudent\u0026rsquo;s Life Satisfaction\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.766\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.840\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.453\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSLSS1 \u0026larr; SLSS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.863\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e45.665\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSLSS2 \u0026larr; SLSS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.837\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.304\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSLSS3R \u0026larr; SLSS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.207\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.232\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSLSS4R \u0026larr; SLSS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.535\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.012\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSLSS5 \u0026larr; SLSS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.783\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.309\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSLSS6 \u0026larr; SLSS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.628\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.478\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSLSS7 \u0026larr; SLSS \u0026larr;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.623\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.595\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eExternalizing Problems\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.613\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.723\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.253\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ1_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.552\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.971\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ3_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.649\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.331\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ5R_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.151\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.726\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ7_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.666\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.147\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ9_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.278\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.955\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ12_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.652\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.371\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ14_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.632\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.877\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ16R_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.373\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.560\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ17_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.330\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.611\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ20R_EX \u0026larr; EP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.439\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.611\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eInternalizing Problems\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.661\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.757\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.277\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ2_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.529\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.630\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ4_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.698\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ6_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.725\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.295\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ8R_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.201\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.582\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ10_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.716\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.211\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ11R_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.398\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.304\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ13_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.527\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.827\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ15_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.380\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.106\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ18_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.006\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.077\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSDQ19_IN \u0026larr; IP\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.751\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.250\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNote: SS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social Support, SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Self-Esteem, MAS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Mastery, SLS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Student\u0026rsquo;s Life Satisfaction, EP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Externalizing Problems, IP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Internalizing Problems.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the measurement model, the variables in this study demonstrated good reliability, with Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha values exceeding 0.70 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e] and composite reliability values greater than 0.70 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e]. Some variables showed reliability values between 0.60 and 0.70, which are still acceptable for exploratory studies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. The HTMT values were equal to or below 0.90 (see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e), indicating that discriminant validity was established [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e]. Most AVE values were below 0.50, except for the MAS variable [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e]. However, because the reliability and discriminant validity indices met acceptable or good thresholds, all variables were retained for subsequent analyses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHeterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e1\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e2\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e3\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e4\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e5\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e6\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e1. SS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.477\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.361\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.519\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.547\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.450\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e2. SE\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.564\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.579\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.723\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.570\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e3. MAS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.405\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.565\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.455\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e4. SLS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.600\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.540\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e5. EP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.900\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e6. IP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"7\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNote: SS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social Support, SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Self-Esteem, MAS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Mastery, SLS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Student\u0026rsquo;s Life Satisfaction, EP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Externalizing Problems, IP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Internalizing Problems.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the structural model, all VIF values were below 5, indicating no multicollinearity among the independent variables [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]. The variables SS, SE, and MAS explained the dependent variables SLS, EP, and IP, with R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e values of 30.4% (R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e adjusted\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.298), 24.2% (R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e adjusted\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.236), and 39.1% (R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e adjusted\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.386), respectively. All f\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e effect sizes were greater than 0.02, indicating that the independent variables had meaningful effects on the dependent variables [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSummary of Direct Effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePath\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eβ\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep-value\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e95% Confidence Intervals\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLower Bound\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUpper Bound\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; SE\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.456\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.378\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.541\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; MAS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.305\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.200\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.411\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; SLS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.268\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.158\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.384\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; EP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.175\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.292\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.065\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; IP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.156\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.255\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.058\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSE \u0026rarr; SLS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.321\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.201\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.438\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSE \u0026rarr; EP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.278\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.403\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.151\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSE \u0026rarr; IP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.418\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.320\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMAS \u0026rarr; SLS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.093\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.081\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.013\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.199\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMAS \u0026rarr; EP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.169\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.018\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.317\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.037\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMAS \u0026rarr; IP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.197\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.295\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.108\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNote: SS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social Support, SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Self-Esteem, MAS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Mastery, SLS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Student\u0026rsquo;s Life Satisfaction, EP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Externalizing Problems, IP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Internalizing Problems.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e presents the direct path coefficients among the variables. The results show that SS had a positive effect on SE (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.456, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), on MAS (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.305, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), and on SLS (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.268, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). SS had a negative effect on EP (β = \u0026minus;0.175, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002) and on IP (β = \u0026minus;0.156, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002). SE had a positive effect on SLS (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.321, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and negative effects on EP (β = \u0026minus;0.278, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and IP (β = \u0026minus;0.418, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). MAS did not significantly affect SLS (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;.05) but showed negative effects on EP (β = \u0026minus;0.169, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.018) and IP (β = \u0026minus;0.197, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSummary of Indirect Effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePath\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eβ\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep-value\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e95% Confidence Intervals\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLower Bound\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUpper Bound\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; SE \u0026rarr; SLS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.146\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.090\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.212\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; SE \u0026rarr; EP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.127\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.196\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.068\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; SE \u0026rarr; IP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.191\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.254\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.141\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; MAS \u0026rarr; SLS\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.028\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.106\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.004\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.066\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; MAS \u0026rarr; EP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.051\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.045\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.111\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.010\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSS \u0026rarr; MAS \u0026rarr; IP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.060\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.106\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.028\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNote: SS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social Support, SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Self-Esteem, MAS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Mastery, SLS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Student\u0026rsquo;s Life Satisfaction, EP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Externalizing Problems, IP\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Internalizing Problems.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable 5 presents the indirect path coefficients among the variables. SE served as a positive mediator in the relationship between SS and SLS (\u0026beta; = 0.146, p \u0026lt; 0.001). SE also acted as a negative mediator in the relationships between SS and EP (\u0026beta; = \u0026minus;0.127, p \u0026lt; 0.001) and between SS and IP (\u0026beta; = \u0026minus;0.191, p \u0026lt; 0.001). The results further indicate that MAS did not mediate the relationship between SS and SLS (p \u0026gt; 0.05). However, MAS functioned as a negative mediator in the relationships between SS and EP (\u0026beta; = \u0026minus;0.051, p = 0.045) and between SS and IP (\u0026beta; = \u0026minus;0.060, p = 0.002).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eGeneral Discussion\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to explore the relationships among social support, psychological resources, and well‑being in students. The analysis yielded several key insights. First, social support positively predicted self‑esteem, mastery, and students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction, while it negatively predicted internalizing problems and externalizing problems (H\u003csub\u003e01\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026ndash;H\u003csub\u003e04\u003c/sub\u003e were confirmed). Self‑esteem positively predicted students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction and negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems (H\u003csub\u003e05\u003c/sub\u003e and H\u003csub\u003e07\u003c/sub\u003e were confirmed). Furthermore, self‑esteem acted as a positive mediator in the relationship between social support and students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction (H\u003csub\u003e06\u003c/sub\u003e was confirmed) and as a negative mediator in the relationship between social support and both internalizing and externalizing problems (H\u003csub\u003e08\u003c/sub\u003e was confirmed). Mastery did not significantly predict students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction (H\u003csub\u003e09\u003c/sub\u003e was rejected), but it negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems (H\u003csub\u003e11\u003c/sub\u003e was confirmed). Mastery did not mediate the relationship between social support and students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction (H\u003csub\u003e10\u003c/sub\u003e was rejected). However, mastery acted as a negative mediator in the relationship between social support and both internalizing and externalizing problems (H\u003csub\u003e12\u003c/sub\u003e was confirmed).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSocial support, self-esteem, and mastery\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study show that social support has a direct and positive effect on students\u0026rsquo; self‑esteem. Through the companionship and assistance of family, peers, and teachers, students receive emotional, informational, and practical resources that nurture a sense of belonging, acceptance, and appreciation of their personal worth. On an emotional level, social support provides reassurance, encouragement, and deep understanding, enabling students to feel recognized and valued, which directly strengthens their self‑esteem and self‑worth [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR52 CR53 CR54\" citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. Supportive relationships also offer positive feedback and acknowledgment of students\u0026rsquo; abilities and achievements, further reinforcing their confidence in their own competence and value [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, social support helps students cope more effectively with academic and personal challenges, reducing the negative impact of stress and obstacles on their self‑esteem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. Notably, support from parents, peers, and teachers all play significant roles in enhancing self‑esteem, with parental and teacher care and guidance often having the most profound influence [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, a positive social support network forms a solid foundation for students to build confidence in their self‑worth and achieve more holistic development throughout their growth.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study indicate that social support has a direct and positive effect on students\u0026rsquo; mastery. Social support fosters mastery in secondary school students by providing them with resources, encouragement, and companionship from family, peers, and teachers, which in turn nurture motivation, confidence, and effective learning strategies. In terms of orientation, emotional and academic support from parents and teachers encourages students to pursue mastery goals, focusing on learning, deep understanding, and self‑improvement rather than merely aiming for grades or comparing themselves with others. Parental involvement, in particular, has been shown to be especially effective in shaping a mastery‑oriented attitude [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e58\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, social support strengthens students\u0026rsquo; belief in their own abilities, helping them embrace challenges, persist through difficulties, and engage more actively in learning activities. These factors lay a foundation for deeper engagement and broader learning \u0026ndash; core components of mastery [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e59\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e]. Supportive home and school environments also promote the development of cognitive and metacognitive strategies, such as planning, monitoring progress, and self‑reflection, which enhance students\u0026rsquo; mastery of knowledge [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, social support reduces test anxiety and academic pressure, enabling students to focus on self‑improvement and skill development rather than fear of failure [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, social support serves as a powerful lever that directly promotes mastery orientation, sustains students\u0026rsquo; confidence, and strengthens their capacity for deep and meaningful learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSocial support, life satisfaction, and internalizing/externalizing behavior\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results of this study show that social support has a direct and positive effect on life satisfaction among secondary school students. Through emotional, practical, and social resources, students feel valued, connected to their community, and confident in their ability to overcome challenges. On the emotional level, social support provides students with a sense of safety, acceptance, and belonging, directly fostering happiness and deeper life satisfaction. Among the various sources of support, family support has been shown to have the strongest direct association with life satisfaction compared with other sources [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e61\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e62\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, supportive relationships help students manage stress and negative emotions, enabling them to cope more effectively with academic and personal difficulties, which in turn enhances overall life satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e63\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e64\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, support from teachers, classmates, and peers encourages students to participate more actively in academic and social activities, allowing them to build richer and more positive experiences, thereby significantly increasing life satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e62\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e65\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, social support serves as a direct source of strength that helps secondary school students maintain a positive mental state, achieve holistic development, and experience greater happiness in their lives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial support has a direct and negative influence on both internalizing and externalizing problems among secondary school students. In other words, higher levels of social support are associated with fewer behavioral and emotional difficulties. For internalizing problems, emotional support from peers, parents, and teachers significantly reduces symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and withdrawal. When students feel understood and cared for, they are less likely to internalize stress and negative emotions, thereby substantially decreasing internalizing behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Notably, support from classmates has a particularly strong effect in reducing internalizing behaviors, and this effect is even more evident among female students, highlighting the importance of a positive peer environment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. Regarding externalizing problems, parental support plays a central role in reducing aggressive behaviors, rule violations, and defiance. In addition, support from peers helps decrease the likelihood of being bullied, which indirectly contributes to lowering externalizing behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. A supportive environment also buffers the negative effects of stress and suboptimal parenting practices on the later development of externalizing behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, social support functions as a protective shield that helps secondary school students maintain emotional stability and display more adaptive behaviors throughout their developmental process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSelf-esteem, life satisfaction, and internalizing/externalizing behavior\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study show that self‑esteem has a direct and positive influence on students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction. Self‑esteem contributes to life satisfaction by shaping how students perceive their own worth, regulate their emotions, and build social relationships. When students possess high self‑esteem, they tend to hold positive self‑perceptions, feel valuable and competent, and believe they are worthy of respect. These perceptions foster a deeper sense of happiness and overall satisfaction with life [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e66\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR67\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e67\u003c/span\u003e]. High self‑esteem also supports emotional well‑being, helping students experience fewer negative states such as anxiety and depression and more frequent positive emotions, which directly enhances life satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e66\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e68\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, self‑esteem enables students to cope more effectively with academic pressure and social difficulties, strengthens their resilience after setbacks, and nurtures inner stability, thereby reinforcing overall life satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR69\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e69\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR70\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e70\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, confidence in their own value allows students with higher self‑esteem to form and maintain positive relationships with peers and teachers, creating a healthy social support network, an important foundation for fostering life satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e71\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR72\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e72\u003c/span\u003e]. In sum, self‑esteem is not only a personal attribute but also a core factor that directly promotes happiness and life satisfaction during students\u0026rsquo; developmental years.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf‑esteem also exerts a direct negative influence on both internalizing and externalizing problems among secondary school students. In other words, as self‑esteem increases, the occurrence of these behavioral and emotional problems decreases markedly. Regarding internalizing behaviors, numerous studies have shown that students with low self‑esteem are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. They often hold negative self‑perceptions, withdraw socially, and participate less in social activities, which in turn heightens internalizing symptoms [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR73\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e73\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR74\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e74\u003c/span\u003e]. In contrast, higher self‑esteem serves as a psychological buffer, helping students mitigate the adverse effects of difficult experiences such as poor academic performance or bullying, thereby reducing the development of internalizing problems [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR39\" citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. For externalizing behaviors, students with low self‑esteem often struggle with emotion regulation and social skills, leading to increased aggression, defiance, or rule‑breaking [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR75\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e75\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR76\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e76\u003c/span\u003e]. Conversely, higher self‑esteem enables better self‑control and supports the maintenance of positive peer relationships, directly lowering the risk of externalizing behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR76\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e76\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, fostering strong self‑esteem in secondary school students functions as a dual protective factor, simultaneously reducing internalizing problems and minimizing externalizing behaviors, which contributes to more stable and well‑balanced development in both academic and social domains.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMastery, life satisfaction, and internalizing/externalizing behavior\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results of this study suggest that mastery did not show a direct effect on students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction. However, the broader literature does not support the view that mastery has no influence on life satisfaction among secondary school students. On the contrary, a growing body of evidence indicates that mastery orientation is positively associated with life satisfaction, although this relationship often operates through more indirect and nuanced pathways. Mastery goals have been shown to positively affect life satisfaction by fostering positive emotions, stronger engagement, meaningful relationships, a sense of purpose, and a sense of accomplishment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e77\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, mastery orientation predicts higher levels of subjective well‑being, with persistence and adaptability functioning as key mediators that translate mastery goals into feelings of life satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR78\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e78\u003c/span\u003e]. Research also highlights that both academic achievement and life satisfaction are closely linked to mastery goals, especially when students receive autonomy support from teachers, which satisfies psychological needs and amplifies the benefits of mastery orientation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]. It is important to note that not all forms of mastery exert the same level of influence. Task‑based competence appears to have a more direct effect, whereas self‑referenced competence (comparing one\u0026rsquo;s current performance with past performance) often affects life satisfaction indirectly through positive psychological states [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e77\u003c/span\u003e]. In other words, rather than having no effect, mastery contributes meaningfully to students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction, but this contribution is often mediated by factors such as persistence, adaptability, and the fulfillment of psychological needs, rather than appearing solely as a direct effect [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e77\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR78\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e78\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, mastery exerts a direct and negative influence on both internalizing and externalizing problems among students. In other words, the stronger students\u0026rsquo; mastery orientation, the lower the occurrence of behavioral difficulties. Empirical evidence shows that students in classrooms characterized by mastery goal structures and close teacher\u0026ndash;student relationships report the lowest levels of both types of behavioral problems compared with other classroom profiles, confirming the clear protective role of mastery orientation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. Conversely, classrooms with low mastery orientation and high levels of conflict are associated with the highest levels of behavioral problems, indicating that the absence of mastery orientation combined with a lack of supportive relationships increases the risk of negative behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. The underlying mechanism is explained by the way mastery goals help students reduce negative emotions, focus on personal progress, and avoid impulsive reactions. This positive effect is further strengthened when mastery orientation is accompanied by supportive relationships with teachers; however, even on its own, mastery orientation is an important direct factor that contributes to reducing behavioral difficulties in secondary school students [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSelf-esteem as mediator\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results of this study indicate that self‑esteem functions as a positive mediator in the relationship between social support and life satisfaction among students. Self‑esteem plays an important mediating role in this relationship, suggesting that the influence of a supportive environment extends beyond an immediate sense of safety and connectedness to a deeper process of developing and reinforcing one\u0026rsquo;s self‑worth. A considerable body of research has clearly demonstrated that self‑esteem partially or even fully mediates this relationship. In other words, social support can enhance life satisfaction not only directly but also indirectly through its positive effect on self‑esteem [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR80\" citationid=\"CR79\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e79\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR81\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e81\u003c/span\u003e]. Notably, some models have identified self‑esteem as a full mediator, indicating that the positive impact of social support on life satisfaction is entirely explained by the increase in self‑esteem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR79\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e79\u003c/span\u003e]. This effect has been consistently observed across different age groups, genders, and cultural contexts, highlighting that fostering self‑esteem through social support networks is a critical foundation for improving happiness and life satisfaction among secondary school students [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR80\" citationid=\"CR79\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e79\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR81\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e81\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf‑esteem also serves as a negative mediating factor in the relationship between social support and internalizing or externalizing behaviors among students. It plays a crucial role as a negative mediator in this relationship, meaning that the beneficial effect of social support on reducing problem behaviors is largely transmitted through the enhancement of students\u0026rsquo; self‑esteem. Specifically, when students receive strong social support from family, peers, and teachers, they tend to develop higher self‑esteem, feel more confident, valued, and accepted. This increase in self‑esteem, in turn, directly contributes to lowering the occurrence of undesirable behaviors by reducing internalizing symptoms and limiting externalizing behaviors. A growing body of research provides consistent evidence that the pathway from social support to reduced behavioral problems is explained through improved self‑esteem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR82\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e82\u003c/span\u003e]. In other words, this mediation is \u0026ldquo;negative\u0026rdquo; in a positive sense: the higher the self‑esteem, the fewer behavioral problems are observed. These findings emphasize the importance of building and strengthening students\u0026rsquo; self‑esteem within supportive environments as a key mechanism to prevent behavioral difficulties and to foster healthy psychosocial development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMastery as mediator\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study indicate that mastery does not serve as a mediating factor in the relationship between social support and life satisfaction among students. Existing research also does not support the view that mastery plays an important mediating role between social support and life satisfaction in secondary school students. Specifically, prior studies suggest that social support enhances life satisfaction primarily through other mediating factors such as self‑esteem, social connectedness, and a sense of belonging, rather than through mastery orientation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e64\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e77\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR83\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e83\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR84\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e84\u003c/span\u003e]. This evidence indicates that although mastery orientation has its own positive value for personal development and academic outcomes, it is not a key pathway through which social support translates into greater life satisfaction among secondary school students. Instead, other psychosocial mechanisms are the critical factors linking the support students receive with their feelings of happiness and deeper satisfaction in life.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results of this study indicate that mastery also functioned as a negative mediator in the relationship between social support and students\u0026rsquo; internalizing and externalizing behaviors. However, existing research does not consistently support the hypothesis that mastery serves as a significant negative mediator in the relationship between social support and internalizing or externalizing behaviors among secondary school students. In other words, although students in supportive environments created by teachers and peers tend to exhibit fewer behavioral problems, the pathway leading to these positive outcomes is not primarily through mastery‑related motivation or goals. Instead, other factors such as self‑esteem, autonomy, and the quality of peer relationships have been identified as more prominent mediating mechanisms [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR82\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e82\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR85\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e85\u003c/span\u003e]. Emotionally supportive classrooms may foster students\u0026rsquo; engagement and mastery orientation, yet reductions in anxiety, depression, or aggressive behaviors are more directly associated with feelings of autonomy and social connectedness rather than the pursuit of mastery goals themselves [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR85\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e85\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, profiles that combine mastery orientation with close teacher\u0026ndash;student relationships have been linked to the lowest levels of problem behaviors; however, further analyses reveal that mastery does not operate as a mediating link in the pathway from social support to reduced maladaptive behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eImplications\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study provide several important implications for educational practice, school counseling, and the psychosocial development of students. First, confirming the positive role of social support in enhancing self‑esteem, fostering mastery, and improving mental health underscores the need for schools, teachers, and parents to prioritize creating an encouraging, caring, and well‑connected environment. Support from family, peers, and teachers not only directly improves students\u0026rsquo; life satisfaction but also indirectly contributes through self‑esteem, helping reduce internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Fostering self‑esteem and promoting a mastery orientation enable students to maintain academic motivation, build confidence, and regulate their behaviors more effectively. Therefore, educational programs should integrate activities that strengthen social support networks, encourage constructive feedback, and create opportunities for students to develop emotional self‑management skills as well as pursue mastery‑oriented learning goals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eLimitations\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the findings. First, the use of a cross‑sectional design prevents the establishment of definitive causal relationships among the studied variables; the analysis is limited to correlations and modeled effects. Second, the sample was drawn from middle and high school students in a specific geographical area, which may restrict the generalizability of the results to other educational and cultural contexts. Third, all variables were measured through students\u0026rsquo; self‑report, which may be influenced by social desirability bias or response tendencies. Finally, although PLS‑SEM was employed to examine both direct and mediating relationships, the study did not include other control variables, such as socioeconomic status, parenting styles, or personality traits, that might also affect the outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eRecommendations for Future Research\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFuture research should adopt a longitudinal design to examine the causal relationships among social support, self‑esteem, mastery, and students\u0026rsquo; psychosocial outcomes more clearly. In addition, future studies should expand the sample to include students from diverse regions and cultural contexts to enhance the generalizability of the findings. Incorporating additional data sources, such as teacher or parent evaluations and direct behavioral observations, would also improve the reliability of the results. Further investigations could explore the roles of potential moderators such as gender, grade level, or personality traits, as well as examine other relevant factors to better understand the complex pathways linking social support, psychological resources, and students\u0026rsquo; well‑being and behaviors. Employing more advanced analytical techniques, such as multi‑group analysis or moderated mediation models, would also provide deeper insights into the contribution of each factor within these relationships.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study addressed the problem of how social support relates to psychological resources and well‑being among school students. The findings showed that social support positively predicted self‑esteem, mastery, and life satisfaction, while it negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems. Self‑esteem played an important mediating role, strengthening the link between social support and both well‑being and reduced behavioral difficulties, whereas mastery mainly contributed to lowering problem behaviors. These results highlight the significance of fostering supportive environments in schools and families to enhance students\u0026rsquo; confidence, motivation, and mental health. In practice, promoting strong social networks and self‑esteem can help students adapt better, achieve higher academic engagement, and maintain healthier emotional and behavioral development.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors sincerely thank all participating students for their valuable time and cooperation throughout the survey process. We also extend our deep gratitude to the teachers and the school administration for their generous support and for creating favorable conditions that enabled the successful implementation of this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Approval Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research proposal was reviewed and approved by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) committee (reference number 07/2024/VI/HĐKHXH). All methods were performed in accordance with the guidelines stipulated in the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were informed about the study\u0026rsquo;s purpose and procedures, and written informed consent was obtained from each individual prior to participation.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInformed consent was obtained from all individual participants and their parents or legal guardians included in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of Interest Disclosure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research is funded by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under grant number 501.02-2023.06.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData can be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request after the ongoing analyses and planned projects have been completed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinial Trial Number\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Publish\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGregory T, Monroy NS, Grace B, Finlay-Jones A, Brushe M, Sincovich A, et al. 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Learning and Instruction. 2016;42:95-103. doi: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.01.004.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"social support, psychological resources, wellbeing, behavior, students","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7247209/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7247209/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMental health is a key part of students’ academic and social development. Social support from family, peers, and teachers can improve students’ psychological resources such as selfesteem and mastery, which may lead to higher life satisfaction and fewer emotional or behavioral problems. However, evidence in school contexts remains limited.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAims\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to examine the relationships between social support, selfesteem, mastery, life satisfaction, and internalizing and externalizing problems in secondary school students. It also tested whether selfesteem and mastery mediated the link between social support and these outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA quantitative, crosssectional design was used with 375 middle and high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam. Participants completed standardized questionnaires measuring social support, selfesteem, mastery, life satisfaction, and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS for descriptive statistics and correlations, and SmartPLS for partial least squares structural equation modeling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSocial support was positively associated with selfesteem, mastery, and life satisfaction, and negatively associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. Selfesteem significantly mediated the relationship between social support and life satisfaction, as well as the relationship between social support and internalizing and externalizing problems. Mastery showed negative direct effects on internalizing and externalizing problems but did not mediate the link between social support and life satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese findings highlight the important role of social support in promoting psychological resources and wellbeing among students. Strengthening supportive networks and fostering selfesteem can help schools and families improve students’ emotional adjustment, reduce problem behaviors, and support healthy development.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Social Support and Mental Health in School Students: Parallel Mediation Effects of Self‑Esteem and Mastery","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-15 09:37:27","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7247209/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"7a6987fd-f0eb-4ac3-9c24-ec0a49419894","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 15th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-29T09:24:55+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-15 09:37:27","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7247209","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7247209","identity":"rs-7247209","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}