Undergraduates' Belief in a Just World and Subjective Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Sense of Control

Abstract

The influence of belief in a just world on individuals' mental health has been extensively researched. We examined the impact of belief in a just world on subjective well-being, focusing mainly on the mediating role of sense of control in this relationship. Participants were 372 Chinese undergraduate university students who completed the Belief in a Just World Scale, the Sense of Control Scale, and the Subjective Well-Being Scale. The results revealed that both their belief in a just world and their sense of control were significantly correlated with their subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that sense of control partially mediated the effect of belief in a just world on subjective well-being. Our findings extend previous results and provide valuable evidence that belief in a just world predicts subjective well-being.