Associations Between Relative Deprivation and Life Satisfaction During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Results of Serial Mediation Analyses

Junbo Chen; Jun Cao; Shuying Fu; Xuji Jia; Xuji Jia; Xuji Jia

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.725373

Frontiers in Psychology (Jun 2022)

Associations Between Relative Deprivation and Life Satisfaction During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Results of Serial Mediation Analyses

Junbo Chen,
Jun Cao,
Shuying Fu,
Xuji Jia,
Xuji Jia,
Xuji Jia

Affiliations

Junbo Chen: School of Education, Anyang Normal University, Anyang, China
Jun Cao: School of Media and Communication, Anyang Normal University, Anyang, China
Shuying Fu: Jiangsu Provincial Key Constructive Laboratory for Big Data of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Yancheng, China
Xuji Jia: Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
Xuji Jia: Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
Xuji Jia: Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.725373
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13

Abstract

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With the COVID-19 pandemic, life satisfaction among college students has become a key issue at universities and in society. The current study explores the effects of belief in a just world and resilience on the relationship between relative deprivation and life satisfaction. A total of 787 college students from universities in China completed online questionnaires. Results showed that relative deprivation was negatively correlated with life satisfaction. Belief in a just world and resilience separately mediated the relationship between relative deprivation and life satisfaction. Moreover, a serial mediating effect of belief in a just world and resilience was observed between relative deprivation and life satisfaction. These findings suggest that relative deprivation may impair individuals' beliefs in a just world. Moreover, less belief in a just world may lower resilience and consequently decrease life satisfaction. This study enriches the research field of relative deprivation theory in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provides a new interpretation and intervention perspective for improving college students' life satisfaction.

Published in Frontiers in Psychology

ISSN: 1664-1078 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion: Psychology
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology

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