Presenting a model to predict social health of the youth based on dimensions of emerging adulthood and mediation role of self-concept

Emerging adulthood has been introduced as a new developmental period. Researches have shown that the dimensions of this new period affect different psychological variables and as a result different components of people's health in this period are affected by them. The purpose of this research is to present a model to investigate the relationship between dimensions of emerging adulthood and social health of youth with emphasis on the mediating role of self-concept. The present study is a fundamental study in terms of the purpose and a descriptive-correlational in terms of the methodology. The statistical sample included 395 individuals (51% male; 49% female) in the age range of 18 to 25 who were selected using convenience sampling from educational centers of Ahvaz. Participants answered three online questionnaires: Arnett’s Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (2007), Keyes’s Social Health Questionnaire (1998), and Beck’s Self-Concept Test (1978). Path analysis was applied to analyze the results. The results showed that the participants have moderate self-concept and social health. However the scores of all emerging adulthood dimensions except for focusing on the others were above average. The results confirmed the existence of a significant direct positive correlation between the dimensions of emerging adulthood and self-concept, as well as self-concept and social health (p < 0.01). Also the indirect relationship between identity exploration (p < 0.05) instability/negativity (p < 0.01) and opportunities/optimism and self-focus (p < 0.1) with social health was confirmed. The results confirmed that young people who experience emerging adult have better self-concept and because of that their social health is improved.