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Self-Improvement and Fashion Values and Loneliness: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study of the Differential Mediating Roles of Meaning in Life and Self-Esteem

delete2026-07-08
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Lan Lili
X
Xiaofeng Wang *
DOI:10.1002/ijop.70246delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
This two-wave longitudinal study (N = 576 Chinese college students; 72.1% female, 27.9% male; mean age = 19.53 years, SD = 0.74; T1 = freshman year, T2 = junior year, 2-year interval) aimed to explore how self-oriented values—self-improvement (SI) and fashion—affect loneliness through the multiple mediating roles of meaning in life (ML) and self-esteem (SE). Participants completed the Chinese Youth Values Questionnaire, Chinese Meaning in Life Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale at both time points. Mediation analyses using PROCESS Model 6 revealed that SI reduced loneliness via three significant indirect paths: (a) through ML alone, (b) through SE alone and (c) through the sequential chain of ML → SE. In contrast, fashion only exerted an indirect negative effect on loneliness through SE, with no significant mediating role of ML. These findings highlight that SI value has a stronger and more enduring impact on alleviating loneliness through both existential (ML-related) and self-evaluative (SE-related) pathways. The results provide practical implications for developing values-based mental health interventions in Chinese higher education contexts.
Keywords:
Chinese college students
fashion value
loneliness
meaning in life
self-esteem
self-improvement value

Journal

International Journal of Psychology cover
International Journal of Psychology
IF:
1.6
Papers:
2.5K
Citations:
4.4K

Organization

S
shanghai youth college of management
Scholars:
2
Papers: 1
Citations: 0
S
Shanghai University of Political Science and Law
Scholars:
26
Papers: 23
Citations: 88
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