mediating role of mindfulness and self-regulation in the relationship between perceived stress and subjective well-being among university students

Objective: this study aimed to explore the mediating roles of mindfulness and self-regulation in the correlation between perceived stress and subjective well-being among university students method: the research involved 353 undergraduates and utilized the chinese version of the perceived stress scale (cpss), the subjective happiness scale (shs), the mindfulness attention awareness scale (maas), and the self-regulation survey (srs). partial least square structural equation modelling (pls-sem) through smartpls software was used to test the proposed relationships.results: the findings indicated significant relationships among perceived stress, subjective well-being, self-regulation, and mindfulness. specifically, perceived stress positively predicted mindfulness (β = 0.400, t = 6.233, p < 0.001) and self-regulation (β = 0.441, t = 5.547, p < 0.001). mindfulness significantly mediated the relationship between perceived stress and subjective well-being (β = 0.241, t = 3.559, p < 0.001), while self-regulation did not exhibit a mediating effect. this suggests that, although self-regulation assists students in managing behaviors and emotions, it may not influence the stress-well-being pathway as effectively as mindfulness does.conclusion: the results underscore the importance of integrating mindfulness strategies into educational programs to enhance students' mental and emotional well-being. this study provides empirical support for the development of mindfulness-related curricula in universities, suggesting that fostering mindfulness could serve as a pivotal intervention for improving subjective well-being among students facing high levels of perceived stress.