WeChat use and psychological well-being among undergraduate students: Mediating role of peer relationships

Abstract

The prevalence of social media among younger generations has led to an increasing focus on exploring the positive and negative implications of its usage. We examined the impact of WeChat usage on the psychological wellbeing of undergraduate students in China, aiming to elucidate the mediating role of peer relationships within this association through the development of a hypothesized research model. By conducting a quantitative investigation involving 303 WeChat users, we assessed the proposed hypotheses using structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that WeChat usage had an indirect positive relationship with psychological well-being, as mediated by peer relationships. This study contributes fresh insight into the dynamic between WeChat usage and psychological well-being within the context of present-day mobile-mediated environments.