SOCIAL COMPETENCE AS A FOUNDATION FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A THEORETICAL REVIEW AND EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61841/31twh475Keywords:
Social Competence, Psychological Well-Being, Ryff's Model, Eudaimonic Well-Being, University Students, Higher Education, India, Educational Implications, Conceptual Framework, Student Mental HealthAbstract
Psychological well-being (PWB) among university students has emerged as one of the most pressing concerns in contemporary Indian higher education, with declining mental health indicators, increasing academic pressure, and post-pandemic social disruption placing new demands on student support systems. This paper presents a theoretical review of the relationship between social competence (SC) and psychological well-being, drawing on Ryff's (1989) eudaimonic model of PWB and multidimensional frameworks of social competence developed in the educational psychology literature. Through an integrative review of theoretical perspectives — including Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), Social Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1997), and Social Integration Theory (Tinto, 1993) — this paper argues that social competence constitutes a foundational psychological resource that supports student flourishing across all six dimensions of Ryff's model: Autonomy, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Positive Relations with Others, Purpose in Life, and Self-Acceptance. The paper further develops a conceptual framework linking SC to PWB through three pathways: the Social Support Pathway, the Social Self-Efficacy Pathway, and the Social Integration Pathway. On the basis of this framework, concrete educational implications are proposed for university curriculum design, student counselling services, and institutional policy in the Indian higher education context. The paper contributes to theory by offering a pathway-specific model of the SC-PWB relationship that is sensitive to the collectivistic cultural context of Indian universities, and to practice by translating this model into actionable, evidence-informed recommendations.
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