Self-esteem mediation of perceived social support and depression in university first-year students: A longitudinal study

This study aimed to explore the development of and change in perceived social support, self-esteem, and depression in college first-year students, as well as the relationships among them. A total of 509 Chinese college first-year students (females = 65.6%, mean age = 18.17 years, SD = 0.77 years) participated in a two-wave longitudinal study within a six-month period. The Perceived Social Support Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, and Self-Rating Depression Scale results at baseline and follow-up show that perceived social support had a unidirectional predictive effect on self-esteem and depression, and self-esteem had a unidirectional predictive effect on depression at Time 2. Perceived social support at Time 1 (T1) also significantly predicted self-esteem at Time 2 (T2), while T1 perceived social support and T1 self-esteem significantly predicted T2 depression. The mediation effect test shows that self-esteem plays a partial mediating role between perceived social support and depression of first-years. In conclusion, perceived social support can significantly predict self-esteem and both of these can predict depression in college first-years. Perceived social support can also alleviate their depression through the mediation of self-esteem. Findings are consistent with ecological systems theory and imply a need for student counselling services to provide sufficient support aimed at improving self-esteem and reducing depression.