The relationship between sense of community and subjective well-being in South Korean adolescents transitioning to middle school: a longitudinal moderated mediation model

초록

Sense of community (SOC) is vital for early adolescent development, yet the longitudinal mechanisms linking it to well-being in Korean contexts remain under-explored. This study investigated the longitudinal relationship between SOC and well-being, specifically examining the mediating role of empathy and the moderating role of autonomy. Data from 1,328 adolescents from the Panel Study on Korean Children were analyzed using the SPSS PROCESS macro. Higher SOC was linked to greater well-being in the following year, with empathy significantly mediating this association. Furthermore, autonomy moderated the link between empathy and well-being; the indirect effect of empathy was more pronounced among adolescents with higher autonomy. These findings highlight the interactive roles of empathy and autonomy in translating SOC into subjective well-being, providing practical implications for fostering positive development during the transition to middle school.

키워드