The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem in the Relationship Between Internet Altruism and Life Satisfaction Among University Students

Abstract

Life satisfaction refers to whether or not an individual is satisfied with their overall life experience. In recent years, with the growing interestin positive psychology, researchers have focused on identifying the factors that influence life satisfaction. From this perspective, this studyexamined the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between university students’ internet altruism and their life satisfaction. Thestudy sample consisted of 385 college students (204 women, 181 men). The “Internet Altruism Scale,” the “Life Satisfaction Scale,” andthe “Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale” were used as data collection instruments in the study. The research model was designed according toHayes PROCESS Macro Model 4. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationships between variables, and the SPSSProcess Macro was used for mediation analysis. The results of the study revealed a moderate positive relationship between self-esteem andlife satisfaction. A low-level positive relationship was found between internet altruism and self-esteem and life satisfaction. Furthermore,self-esteem was found to play a mediating role in the relationship between internet altruism and life satisfaction. The research results wereinterpreted from the perspective of the positive activation model. Based on the research findings, recommendations were presented forresearchers and practitioners who will conduct future studies in this field.