Dialectical Coping and Well-Being among Chinese College Students: the Mediating Role of Resilience

Despite many studies focusing on coping strategies, there is a dearth of psychological research exploring indigenous coping from the East Asian culture. This study explored the relationship between dialectical coping and three well-being variables (somatization, peace of mind and meaning in life) and tested resilience as a potential mediator of these relationships using a Chinese university student sample (N= 644). Structural equation modeling was employed to examine mediation paths from a) endorsement of dialectical coping to b) resilience to c) peace of mind, somatization, and meaning in life. We found that resilience mediated the significant relationships between dialectical coping and the three well-being variables. Chinese college students who demonstrated higher endorsement of dialectical coping possessed higher resilience, which was then related to greater peace of mind and meaning in life and less somatization. Dialectical coping was also directly and positively associated with higher levels of meaning in life. Endorsement of dialectical coping is connected to Chinese college students' resilience which, depending on the resilience level, can predict their well-being. Based on our findings and previous literature, we propose a nuanced conceptual understanding of dialectical coping, reflecting recent development in positive psychology. Implications for counseling are discussed.