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The relationship between social support, life satisfaction and problematic WeChat use among college students
Ting Li1, Yanjie Shan1, Yadong Sun1
1Faculty of Social Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
Scientific Reports
|November 11, 2025
Summary
Problematic WeChat use (PWU) in college students shows varied links with social support and life satisfaction. Life satisfaction mediates this relationship, except in the highest PWU risk group, offering insights for mental well-being interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Science
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Problematic WeChat use (PWU) is a growing concern among college students.
- Understanding the factors influencing PWU is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Social support and life satisfaction are potential key factors in PWU.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct profiles of problematic WeChat use (PWU) among Chinese college students.
- To examine the roles of social support and life satisfaction in relation to these PWU profiles.
- To investigate the mediating effect of life satisfaction on the relationship between social support and PWU.
Main Methods:
- Latent profile analysis was used to identify PWU profiles.
- A large sample of 7000 Chinese college students completed questionnaires.
- Data on social support, PWU, and life satisfaction were collected and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Six distinct profiles of problematic WeChat use (PWU) were identified, ranging from lowest to highest risk.
- Life satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between social support and PWU across most profiles.
- The mediating effect of life satisfaction was strongest in the very low and very high PWU groups, but non-significant in the highest PWU group.
Conclusions:
- Problematic WeChat use (PWU) presents diverse patterns among college students.
- Interventions should consider the varying roles of social support and life satisfaction across different PWU risk levels.
- Targeted strategies addressing life satisfaction may be effective in mitigating PWU, particularly for moderate risk groups.
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