When giving social support is beneficial for well-being?

Abstract

This study investigates the conditions under which the provision of social support enhances subjective well-being, focusing specifically on the autonomy and effectiveness of social support among a sample of 206 university students. Utilizing a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, the findings reveal that the autonomy of social support provision significantly influences subjective well-being, with participants in the voluntary group reporting markedly higher levels of subjective well-being than those in the non-voluntary. Additionally, the perceived effectiveness of social support is shown to significantly affect subjective well-being; individuals who regarded the support as effective exhibited substantially higher levels of subjective well-being compared to those who deemed it ineffective. The interaction between autonomy and effectiveness is also significant; participants who provided support autonomously and perceived it as effective experienced elevated positive affect and life satisfaction while diminished negative emotions. These results substantiate the hypothesis that the provision of social support can enhance subjective well-being, indicating that the autonomy and effectiveness serve as critical moderators in facilitating positive outcomes. The findings further support the theoretical frameworks posited by Inagaki and Orehek, as well as the theory of basic psychological needs.