The Relationship Between Adolescents’ Internet Altruistic Behavior And Psychological Well-being

Young people’s well-being is closely linked to their online lives.The occurrence of internet altruistic behavior is fundamental to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs,the enhancement of self-development and self-integration of young people,and can contribute to the well-being of individuals.Meeting basic psychological needs helps individuals to grow and develop themselves,and is a necessary element for happiness.Self-construction can influence an individual’s social relationships,which in turn affects his or her well-being experience.This study examines the impact of internet altruistic behavior on psychological well-being,with teenagers as the main subject of the study.At the same time,basic psychological needs and self-construal were also included as variables under examination to further investigate how they play a part in the interaction of internet altruistic behavior and psychological well-being.Using the Internet Altruistic Behaviour Scale,Psychological Well-being Scale,Psychological Needs Scale,Psychological Basic Needs Scale and Self-Construal Scale,1763 adolescents(including junior high,high school and university students)in Shandong province were surveyed using a whole-group sampling method.SPSS23.0 and Mplus 8.3 were used to analyse the data,and the findings of the study were as follows.(1)Adolescents’ psychological well-being and the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs were at an overall moderate to high level,internet altruistic behavior was at an overall moderate level,and adolescents’ self-construction favoured the interdependent type.(2)Adolescents’ internet altruistic behavior,basic psychological needs,self-construal and psychological well-being are influenced by demographic variables such as gender,grade level,family origin,grade level and time spent online.(3)Adolescents’ internet altruistic behavior positively predicts psychological well-being.(4)Basic psychological needs partially mediated the effect of internet altruistic behavior on psychological well-being.That is,internet altruistic behavior has an effect on psychological well-being by acting on basic psychological needs.(5)In the relationship between internet altruistic behavior,basic psychological needs and psychological well-being,the first half of the pathway in which the self-construal mediates the role of basic psychological needs,internet altruistic behavior is a greater predictor of basic psychological needs satisfaction for independent self-construal individuals than for interdependent self-construal adolescents.Conclusions: Youths’ internet altruistic behavior affects their level of psychological well-being through its impact on the satisfaction of basic psychological needs.;Independent self-construal increases the impact of internet altruistic behavior on basic psychological needs.