The Association of Sense of Power with Well-Being Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Hope-Agency.

Studies have shown that sense of power is positively associated with subjective well-being, but this relationship has proved inconsistent in collectivist contexts. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between sense of power, well-being outcomes, and psychological maladjustment in Chinese early adults, and further investigated the potential mediating role of hope. Sense of power, dispositional hope, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect were measured in Study 1 (n = 522). Sense of power was found to be positively related to hope and to emotional and cognitive well-being. Furthermore, mediating analysis indicated that hope-agency (but not hope-pathway) was a significant mediator of the relationship between perceived power and subjective well-being. Study 2 (n = 391) additionally measured loneliness and perceived stress as components of psychological maladjustment. The results showed that sense of power was negatively associated with stress and loneliness, and that hope-agency partially mediated the link of perceived power to psychological maladjustment. Overall, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between sense of power and well-being outcomes, and suggest that a sense of power might foster people's well-being and mental health by activating their motivation to achieve desired goals.