the relationship of social supports to psychological well-being and depression: the mediating roles of self-esteem and besic psychological needs

this study aimed to examine the relationship of social supports to psychological well-being and depression through mediating roles of self-esteem and basic psychological needs. The sample consisted of 432 teachers from the city of Khoramabad. The participants completed the Social Support Scale (Vaux et al, 1986), the Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), the Satisfying Basic Psychological Needs Scale at Work (LaGuardia et al, 2000), the Psychological Well-Being Scale (Ryff, 1989) and the Depression Inventory (Beck, 1988). The results of path analysis indicated that the social supports had direct effects on the psychological well-being and depression. Social support indirectly, through the self-esteem, satisfying the need for relatedness and the need for competence, increased psychological well-being and decreased depression. The results emphasized the role of social interactions in promoting self-esteem and the importance of basic psychological needs in work environment.