From spiritual well-being to psychological resilience: The mediating roles of self-control and dispositional hope

Psychological resilience has increasingly become indispensable in today’s world, which is challenged by destructive conditions such as wars, infectious diseases, and natural disasters. Spiritual well-being, psychological resilience, hope, and self-control are central constructs within positive psychology, extensively studied in both clinical and general populations. While prior research has predominantly focused on individuals with illnesses, these constructs are relevant across all individuals, including university students. The present study investigates the relationships among spiritual well-being, psychological resilience, and the potential mediating roles of self-control and dispositional hope. Building on theoretical frameworks the study hypothesizes that higher levels of spiritual well-being are associated with greater psychological resilience, and that self-control and dispositional hope serially mediate this association. Data were collected from university students who had a mean age of 22.35 years (SD = 5.15) through validated self-report measures assessing spiritual well-being, psychological resilience, dispositional hope, and self-control. The serial mediation model demonstrated an adequate fit to the data. Spiritual well-being was not directly related to psychological resilience; rather, its effect was fully transmitted (indirect-only) through self-control and dispositional hope, with self-control influencing resilience serially via dispositional hope. By extending research on positive psychological constructs beyond clinical contexts, this study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of how individual strengths support adaptive coping and personal growth, providing implications for interventions aimed at promoting mental health and well-being among university students.