Beyond Persistence: Social Support as a Pathway From Grit to Flourishing Among Final-Year University Students

Nia Kusuma Wardhani; Ros Patriani Dewi

doi:10.55227/ijhess.v5i5.2305

Authors

Nia Kusuma Wardhani Univeristas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta
Ros Patriani Dewi Univeristas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55227/ijhess.v5i5.2305

Keywords:

Flourishing, Final-Years Student, Grit, Social Support

Abstract

Final-year university students experience significant academic and psychological demands that may compromise their well-being, making flourishing a critical indicator of optimal functioning. While grit has been widely recognized as a predictor of resilience and well-being, its underlying mechanisms remain underexplored, particularly in relation to social support. This study examines the mediating role of social support in the relationship between grit and flourishing among final-year students. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 239 participants selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the PERMA-Profiler, the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that grit significantly predicts both social support and flourishing, while social support also has a significant positive effect on flourishing. Importantly, social support fully mediates the relationship between grit and flourishing, indicating that the effect of grit on well-being operates primarily through relational mechanisms. These findings advance a relational perspective on grit and highlight the importance of integrating personal strengths with supportive social environments in promoting student well-being

References

Alam, M. J., Pratik, M. I. K., Khan, A. H., Islam, M. S., & Hossain, M. M. (2025). Prevalence and level of stress among final-year students at a health science institute in Bangladesh. Discover Mental Health, 5(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00136-2

Amalia, D. N., & Sari, C. A. K. (2022). The role of grit against flourishing of final-year students. Psikoislamedia: Jurnal Psikologi, 7(1), 66–80. https://doi.org/10.22373/psikoislamedia.v7i1.10840

An, R., Qian, G., Mumtaz, A., Alotaibi, K. A., & Wang, X. (2025). Digital fatigue and academic resilience among university students with grit and flexibility as mediators. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 45407. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-29313-7

Anierobi, E. I., Amjad, A. I., Ubani, F. A., Aslam, S., Khasawneh, M. A. S., & Alshamsi, H. (2025). The role of social support and academic self-efficacy in enhancing academic engagement among undergraduates. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 14(6), 4689. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v14i6.33999

Ansari, M., & Shakerian, S. (2024). The mediating role of mental health between social support and resilience in health workers before and during the pandemic: A structural analysis. Payesh (Health Monitor) Journal, 23(6), 907–918. https://doi.org/10.61186/payesh.23.6.907

Burhani, I. I. (2016). Pemaknaan prokrastinasi akademik pada mahasiswa semester akhir.

Canter, B. E., Hart, J., Clayton, M. G., Prinstein, M. J., Mann-Rosan, R., & Solomon, S. (2024). Does Psychological Flourishing Have the Potential to Mitigate Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors? A Preliminary Analysis of the Protective Influence of Flourishing. Archives of Suicide Research, 28(3), 964–978. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2023.2265418

Clark, K. N., Dorio, N. B., Eldridge, M. A., Malecki, C. K., & Demaray, M. K. (2020). Adolescent academic achievement: A model of social support and grit. Psychology in the Schools, 57(2), 204–221. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22318

Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357.

Credé, M., Tynan, M. C., & Harms, P. D. (2016). Much ado about grit: A meta-analytic synthesis of the grit literature. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Datu, J. A. D., Buenconsejo, J. U., Shek, C. Y. C., Choy, Y. L. E., & Sou, K. L. E. (2023). Grit, academic engagement in math and science, and well-being outcomes in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A study in Hong Kong and Macau. School Psychology International, 44(4), 489–512. https://doi.org/10.1177/01430343221147273

Datu, J. A. D., Sun, X. H., Liu, S., Pang, F., & Watt, H. (2025). Are gritty children more engaged in math? Triarchic model of grit, math self-efficacy beliefs, and math engagement in Chinese children in Macau. School Psychology International, 46(6), 582–602. https://doi.org/10.1177/01430343251386902

Daud, M., Siswanti, D. N., & Nugraha, D. Y. (2025). Exploring grit in online learning systems: a novel approach to linking self-control and conscientiousness with academic success. Cogent Psychology, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2025.2520665

Duckworth, A. L., & Quinn, P. D. (2009). Development and validation of the short grit scale (Grit-S). Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(2), 166–174. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223890802634290

Gottman, J. M., Coan, J., Carrere, S., Swanson, C., Gottman, J. M., Coan, J., … Swanson, C. (1998). Predicting Marital Happiness and Stability from Newlywed Interactions Published by : National Council on Family Relations Predicting Marital Happiness and Stability from Newlywed Interactions. Journal of Marriage and Family, 60(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1002/job

Hou, X.-L., Becker, N., Hu, T.-Q., Koch, M., Xi, J.-Z., & Mõttus, R. (2022). Do Grittier People Have Greater Subjective Well-Being? A Meta-Analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 48(12), 1701–1716. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672211053453

Jain, S., & Sunkarapalli, G. (2019). Relationship between grit and flourishing. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.25215/0702.068

Keyes, C. L. M. (2002). The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. https://doi.org/10.2307/3090197

Komarudin, Wiyono, B. B., Eva, N., Hitipeuw, I., & Tortop, H. S. (2026). The Influence of Grit and Social Support on University Students’ Psychological Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Problem-Focused Coping. Open Education Studies, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/edu-2025-0119

Krishna, A., & Grund, J. (2025). Student-Perceived Supervisor Motivation and Grade Pressure as Predictors of German Psychology Students’ Thesis Motivation. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 24(1), 4–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/14757257241239622

Kwon, H. W. (2021). Are Gritty People Happier than Others?: Evidence from the United States and South Korea. Journal of Happiness Studies, 22(7), 2937–2959. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-020-00343-4

Lee, S., Kim, Y., & Shin, J. (2025). Exploring the Interplay of Social Support, Grit, and Achievement in Korean Junior High School Students. Psychology in the Schools, 62(7), 2300–2310. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23467

Li, X., Koul, R., & Cao, Y. (2026). Investigating the relationship between social support and grit in mathematics learning: the mediating role of self-efficacy and gender-based differences. Current Psychology, 45(3), 266. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-08971-w

Munn, A. C., George, T. P., Phillips, T. A., Kershner, S. H., & Hucks, J. M. (2022). Resilience and GRIT among undergraduate nursing students during the COVID 19 pandemic. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2022-0012

Obeng, P., Srem-Sai, M., Arthur, F., Salifu, I., Amoadu, M., Agormedah, E. K., … Schack, T. (2025). Students’ academic resilience and well-being in Ghana: the mediating effects of grit and motivation. Discover Education, 4(1), 132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00537-z

Rahmawati, D. R., Wardani, D. K., Noviani, L., & Yuliyanto, R. (2024). Moderating effect of self-regulation on the relationship between adversity quotient and family social support on academic procrastination in thesis completion. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 9(2), 195–214. https://doi.org/10.21580/pjpp.v9i2.21384

Schotanus-Dijkstra, M., Ten Have, M., Lamers, S. M. A., De Graaf, R., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2017). Flourishing mental health and disorders. European Journal of Public Health, 27(3), 563–568. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckw202

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being. Free Press.

Shariff, M. I. A., Wan Sulaiman, W. S., & Khairudin, R. (2022). Exploring the relationship between grit and flourishing. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v12-i3/12193

Taylor, S. E. (2011). Social support: A review. In The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology (pp. 189–214). Oxford University Press.

Vainio, M. M., & Daukantaitė, D. (2016). Grit and well-being relationships. Journal of Happiness Studies, 17(5), 2119–2147.

Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30–41. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2