The impact of negative interpersonal life events on social adaptation of Chinese college students: Mediator effect of self-esteem

In this study, we investigated the source and impact of negative interpersonal life events confronted by 210 Chinese college students, and discussed the mediator role of self-esteem. We collected data using the Self-Esteem Scale, the Loneliness Scale (LS), the Self-Report Depression Scale, the Social Avoidance Scale, and the Interpersonal Negative Life Events Scale. The results showed that: (1) According to the occurrence rate and the stress index of interpersonal negative life events, the following events ranked in the top three: “having a weak social network”, “reducing or losing contact with good friends”, and “being nervous or silent with unfamiliar people”. (2) Self-esteem partly mediated the impact of negative interpersonal life events on negative emotions such as depression and loneliness, and fully mediated the impact of interpersonal negative life events on social avoidance.