Self-Censorship and Social Support: Mediating Role of Self-Construal

Objective: This study examined the relationship between perceived social support and self-censorship, with a particular focus on the mediating role of self-construal. Self-censorship—defined as the tendency to withhold personal opinions, beliefs, or emotions due to concerns about social approval or negative evaluation—represents a critical factor influencing both individual well-being and interpersonal communication. Conversely, social support is widely recognized as a protective resource that enhances individuals’ coping capacity and promotes psychological adjustment. Given the cultural significance of self-construal, this study aimed to determine whether different self-construal orientations mediate the relationship between social support and self-censorship. Method: The study employed a correlational design. The sample comprised 400 participants (293 women, 74.3%; 107 men, 25.8%) aged 16 to 56 years. Data were collected using the Relational–Individual–Collective Self-Aspects Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Willingness to Self-Censor Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses and mediation tests were conducted via the bootstrapping method with 10,000 resamples to examine the hypothesized model. Results: Findings indicated that individuals with higher levels of perceived social support exhibited lower tendencies toward self-censorship (β = -0.13, p < .05). Moreover, individual self-construal significantly mediated the relationship between social support and self-censorship (β = -0.18, 95% CI [-0.09, -0.01]). By contrast, no significant mediating effects were observed for relational or collective self-construals. Conclusion: These results suggest that perceived social support serves a protective function in reducing self-censorship tendencies, particularly among individuals with an individualistic self-construal. The study highlights the importance of considering cultural self-structures when examining the mechanisms underlying the relationship between social support and self-censorship, providing both theoretical and practical implications.