The Relationship Between Lifestyle and Social Support on the Psychological Well-Being of Guidance and Counselling Students

Abstract

This study sought to ascertain the levels of lifestyle and perceived social support and to investigate their associations with the psychological well-being of guidance and counseling students at university east of Malaysia. Employing a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design, the study involved 120 respondents selected through simple random sampling. Measurement instruments comprised a lifestyle questionnaire adapted from the Adolescent Lifestyle Questionnaire (ALQ), a perceived social support scale grounded in the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and a psychological well-being measure derived from Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale. Data were analyzed using Jamovi version 2.6.26, incorporating descriptive statistical procedures and Pearson product–moment correlation analysis. Findings indicated that respondents exhibited moderate levels across all three constructs lifestyle, social support, and psychological well-being. Notwithstanding these moderate levels, correlation analyses demonstrated no statistically significant relationships between lifestyle and psychological well-being (r = 0.050, p = 0.587) or between social support and psychological well-being (r = 0.067, p = 0.468). These results suggest that, within this cohort, lifestyle practices and perceived social support may not function as primary determinants of psychological well-being. The study underscores the need for higher education institutions to implement multidimensional interventions that extend beyond lifestyle modification and social support enhancement to address students’ psychological health more holistically. The findings contribute to the empirical discourse on student mental health and may inform the formulation of evidence-based policies and comprehensive intervention frameworks in university contexts