ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
This study investigates the complex dynamics underlying psychological well-being (PWB) among 317 young adults residing in Selangor, Malaysia. The research investigates the various determinants of PWB, with a focus on pet companionship, family support, peer support, and social media support. Using well-established measurement instruments, the study aims to elucidate the complex relationships between these variables and their collective effect on the psychological well-being of the participants. This investigation reveals significant positive correlations between PWB and each of the aforementioned support sources. First, pet companionship is associated with improved PWB, highlighting the therapeutic and emotionally enriching role that pets can play in the lives of individuals. Family support has an exceptionally strong positive correlation with PWB, highlighting the central role that familial relationships play in influencing the mental health of young adults. Peer support emerges as a powerful predictor of PWB, highlighting the central role of supportive peer networks in fostering psychological health. In addition, the study clarifies the central role of social media support in promoting PWB among respondents. Participants who perceive increased support through online interactions report higher levels of PWB, highlighting the evolving role of social media platforms as emotional and informational supports.
In conclusion, these findings demonstrate the complex interaction between pet companionship, familial support, peer support, and social media support in influencing the psychological health of young adults. This research, conducted in Selangor, Malaysia, contributes significantly to the increasing body of empirical knowledge regarding the multifaceted determinants of PWB. These findings have important ramifications for the design and implementation of targeted mental health interventions and programmes tailored to improve the well-being of young adults in modern society.
Abubakar, R., Zubairu, H. D., & Yohanna, S. (2020). Impact of family social support on psychological wellbeing of infertile women attending Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital, Kaduna, Nigeria. Annals of African Medical Research, 3(118), 19-22.
Agrawal, N., Someshwar, A., Ravi, A., Dhas, A. A., & Srivastava, A. (2021). Understanding the role of participation in online support groups on mental well-being. Indian Journal of Health and Well-being, 12(4), 457-465.
Agteren J. V., Woodyatt, L., Iasiello, M., Rayner, J., & Kyrios, M. (2019). Make it measurable: Assessing psychological distress, wellbeing and resilience at scale in higher education. Student Success Journal, 10(3), 1-13.
Amiot, C. E., Gagne, C., & Bastian, B. (2022). Pet ownership and psychological well?being during the COVID?19 pandemic. Scientifc Reports, 12(1), 6091.
Asmawati, D., Asmah, A., & Zaini, S. (2009). Psychological well-being of ‘orang asli’. Jurnal Psikologi Malaysia, 23(2009), 19-25.
Bagci, S. C., Turnuklu, A., & Bekmezci, E. (2018). Cross-group friendships and psychological well-being: A dual pathway through social integration and empowerment. The British Journal of Social Psychology, 57(4), 773–792.
Bahamon, M. J., Alarcon, Y., Cudris, L., Trejos, A. M., and Campo, L. (2019). Bienestar psicológico en adolescentes colombianos. Arch. Venezolanos Farmacol. Terapéutica, 38, 519–524.
Bano, S., Cisheng, W., Khan, A. N., & Khan, N. A. (2019). WhatsApp use and student's psychological well-being: Role of social capital and social integration. Children and Youth Services Review, 103, 200–208.
Beck, A. M. (2014). The biology of the human-animal bond. Animal Frontiers, 4(3), 32-36.
Bernasco, E. L., Nelemans, S. A., van der Graaff, J., & Branje, S. (2021). Friend support and internalizing symptoms in early adolescence during COVID-19. Journal of research on Adolescence : the Official Journal of the Society for Research on Adolescence, 31(3), 692–702.
Boehm, J. K., & Kubzansky, L. D. (2012). The heart’s content: The association between positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular health. Psychological Bulletin, 138(4), 655–691.
Boyd, A., Van de Velde, S., Vilagut, G., De Graaf, R., Florescu, S., Alonso, J., ... & EU-WMH Investigators. (2015). Gender differences in mental disorders and suicidality in Europe: results from a large cross-sectional population-based study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 245-254.
Carr, D. C., Taylor, M. G., Gee, N. R., & Sachs-Ericsson, N. (2020). Psychological health benefits of companion animals following a social loss. The Gerontologist, 60(3), 428–438.
Chadwick, Z., Edmondson, A., & Mcdonald, S. (2022). Engaging with animal-assisted interventions (AAIs): Exploring the experiences of young people with ASD/ADHD diagnoses. Support for Learning, 37(1).
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Hedonia, eudaimonia, and well-being: An introduction. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9, 1–11.
Erfani, S. S., & Abedin, B. (2018). Impacts of the use of social network sites on users’ psychological well-being: A systematic review. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 69(7), 900-912.
Fauziah, M., Handarini, D. M., & Muslihati. (2018). Self-esteem, social support, personality and psychological well being of junior high school student. Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora, 6(1), 17–23.
Mendoza, G. M. D. C., Sanchez Queija, I., & Parra Jimenez, A. (2019). The role of parents in emerging adults' psychological well-being: A person-oriented approach. Family Process, 58(4), 954–971.
Grajfoner, D., Ke, G. N., & Wong, R. M. M. (2021). The effect of pets on human mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdown in Malaysia. Animals, 11, 2689.
Grajfoner, D., Ke, G. N., & Wong, R. M. M. (2021). The effect of pets on human mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdown in Malaysia. Animals, 11, 2689.
Hajek, A., & Konig, H.H. (2019). How do cat owners, dog owners and individuals without pets differ in terms of psychosocial outcomes among individuals in old age without a partner? Aging Mental Health, 24, 1613–1619.
Hizbullah, K., & Mulyati, R. (2022). The role of gratitude and family support on psychological well-being of mothers with autistic children. International Journal of Islamic Educational Psychology, 3(1), 2-18.
Hoferichter, F., Kulakow, S., & Hufenbach, M. C. (2021). Support from parents, peers, and teachers is differently associated with middle school students' well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 12.
Hrastinski, S., & Aghaee, N. M. (2012). How are campus students using social media to support their studies? An explorative interview study. Education and Information Technologies, 17, 451-464.
Johnson, T. P., Garrity, T. F., & Stallones, L. (1992). Psychometric evaluation of the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS). Anthrozoös, 5(3), 160-175.
Kamaryati, N. P., & Malathum, P. (2020). Family support: A concept analysis. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Resources, 24(3) 403-411.
Kaya, A., Iwamoto, D.K., Brady, J., Clinton, L., & Grivel, M. (2019). The role of masculine norms and gender role conflict on prospective well-being among men. Psychology Men Masculinities, 20, 142-150.
Khan, M. J., & Arif, A. (2019). Role of social support as predictor of mental health among university students. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education, 13(1), 01-11.
Killgore, W. D., Taylor, E. C., Cloonan, S. A., & Dailey, N. S. (2020). Psychological resilience during the COVID-19 lockdown. Psychiatry Research, 291, 113216.
Kok, J. K., & Low, S. K. (2019). Risk factors contributing to vulnerability of mental health disorders and the protective factors among Malaysian youth. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 7(2), 102-112.
Kusuma, I. J., & Yuniardi, M. S. (2020). The use of instagram and psychological well-being in the digital era. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 395, 104-107.
Latipun, L., Amalia, D. R., & Hasanati, N. (2018). Relation social support and psychological well-being among schizophrenic patients: Self-care as mediation variable? Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), 304.
Laursen, B., & Veenstra, R. (2021). Toward understanding the functions of peer influence: A summary and synthesis of recent empirical research. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 31(4), 889-907.
Liu, D., Baumeister, R. F., Yang, C-c., & Hu, B. (2019). Digital communication media use and psychological well-being: A meta-analysis. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 24(5), 259–274.
Luo, M., & Hancock, J. T. (2020). Self-disclosure and social media: Motivations, mechanisms and psychological well-being. Current opinion in psychology, 31, 110-115.
Maran, D. A., Gianino, M. M., Serra, G., & Cortese, C. G. (2022). Potential benefits of human-animal interaction among nurses pet owners and non-pet owners: A pilot study. 294, 1-13.
Marino, C., Gini, G., Vieno, A., & Spada, M. M. (2018). The associations between problematic Facebook use, psychological distress and well-being among adolescents and young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 226, 274–281.
Matud, M. P., Lopez-Curbelo, M., & Fortes, D. (2019). Gender and psychological well-being. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(19), 3531.
McConnell, A. R., Brown, C. M., Shoda, T. M., Stayton, L. E., & Martin, C. E. (2011). Friends with benefits: on the positive consequences of pet ownership. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(6), 1239.
Mead, S., & McNeil, C. (2006). Peer support: What makes it unique. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 10(2), 29-37.
Mishra, A. (2022). Impact of social media usage on personality and psychological well-being of young adults. Clinical and Experimental Psychology, 8(6), 056-058.
Nesi, J., Choukas-Bradley, S., & Prinstein, M. J. (2018). Transformation of adolescent peer relations in the social media context: Part 1—A theoretical framework and application to dyadic peer relationships. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 21(3), 267–294.
Ngaru, P. N., & Kagema, M. (2017). The influence of social support on the psychological well being of students in University of Nairobi. International Journal of Psychology, 2(1), 1-13.
Nick, E. A., Cole, D. A., Cho, S.-J., Smith, D. K., Carter, T. G., & Zelkowitz, R. L. (2018). The Online Social Support Scale: Measure development and validation. Psychological Assessment, 30(9), 1127-1143.
Ostic, D., Qalati, S. A., Barbosa, B., Shah, S. M. M., Vela, G. E., Herzallah, A. M., & Liu, F. (2021). Effects of social media use on psychological well-being: a mediated model. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 678766.
Pezirkianidis, C., Galanaki, E., Raftopoulou, G., Moraitou, D., & Stalikas, A. (2023). Adult friendship and wellbeing: A systematic review with practical implications. Frontiers Psychology, 14.
Radeef, A. S., & Faisal, G. G. (2019). Internet addiction among dental students in Malaysia. Journal of International Dental and Medical Research, 12)4), 1452 – 1456.
Rehnfeldt, H. (2020). Examining the relationship between pet-ownership & human physical and psychological wellbeing. Unpublished bachelor’s thesis dissertation, University of Gavle.
Roux, M. C., & Wright, S. (2020). The relationship between pet attachment, life satisfaction, and perceived stress: Results from a south african online survey. Anthrozoös, 33(3), 371-385.
Ryff, C. D. (2018). Eudaimonic well-being: Highlights from 25 years of inquiry. In K. Shigemasu, S. Kuwano, T. Sato, & T. Matsuzawa (Eds.), Diversity in harmony - Insights from psychology: Proceedings of the 31st International Congress of Psychology (pp. 375–395). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Ryff, C. D. (1989b). Happiness is everything, or is it? explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 1069-1081.
Ryff, C. D. (2014). Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 83(1), 10-28.
Ryff, C. D. (1989a). Psychological wellbeing. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069-1081.
Sarkar, S., Ghosh, S., & Bose, N. (2022). Psychological wellbeing, perceived stress, coping strategy of the Bengali young adult pet owners. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 10(4), 1596-1603.
Schacter, H. L., & Margolin, G. (2018). The interplay of friends and parents in adolescents’ daily lives: Towards a dynamic view of social support. Social Development, 28, 708–724.
Secor, S. P., Limke-McLean, A., & Wright, R. W. (2017). Whose support matters? Support of friends (but not family) may predict affect and wellbeing of adults faced with negative life events. Journal of Relationships Research, 8(e10), 1-10.
Singstad, M. T., Wallander, J. L., Lydersen, S., & Kayed, N. (2022). Perceived social support and symptom loads of psychiatric disorders among adolescents in residential youth care. Social Work Research, 46(1), 30-43.
UNICEF Malaysia. (2022). UNICEF, National Institutes of Health Malaysia, Burnet Institute: Strengthening mental health and psychosocial support systems and services for children and adolescents in East Asia and the Pacific: Malaysia Country Report.
Viertio, S., Kiviruusu, O., Piirtola, M., Kaprio, J., Korhonen, T., Marttunen, M., & Suvisaari, J. (2021). Factors contributing to psychological distress in the working population, with a special reference to gender difference. BMC public health, 21, 1-17.
Wanser, S. H., Vitale, K. R., Thielke, L. E., Brubaker, L., & Udell, M. A. R. (2019). Spotlight on the psychological basis of childhood pet attachment and its implications. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 12, 469-479.
White, H. R., & Jackson, K. (2005). Social and psychological influences on emerging adult drinking behavior. Alcohol Research Health, 28(4), 182-190.
Xin, X., Cheng, L., Li, S., Feng, L., Xin, Y., & Wang, S. (2021). Improvement to the subjective well-being of pet ownership may have positive psychological influence during COVID-19 epidemic. Animal Science Journal, 92, 1-8. e13624.
Yang, C-C., Holden, S. M., & Ariati, J. (2021). Social media and psychological well?being among youth: The multidimensional model of social media use. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 24, 631–650.
Ye, S., & Ho, K. K. W. (2023). College students’ Twitter usage and psychological well-being from the perspective of generalised trust: comparing changes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Library Hi Tech, 41(1), 152-173.
Zhang, M., Zhang, J., Zhang, F., Zhang, L., & Feng, D. (2018). Prevalence of psychological distress and the effects of resilience and perceived social support among Chinese college students: Does gender make a difference? Psychiatry research, 267, 409-413.
Zhang, R. (2017). The stress-buffering effect of self-disclosure on Facebook: An examination of stressful life events, social support, and mental health among college students. Computers in Human Behavior, 75, 527-537.
Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30-41.
N/A
Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode