The mediatory role of ontological well-being in association of rational emotive self-determination with mental health of adolescents

Irrational beliefs (IBs) and satisfaction of basic psychological needs (BPNs) have been shown to be universal and important predictors of mental health. The association of IBs with both ill-being and well-being has been well documented. Similarly, the degree of satisfaction of BPNs has been shown to be highly correlated with both ill-being and well-being indicators. In this regard, Rational Emotive Self-Determination (RESD) defined IBs within the context of BPNs which provides an integrated approach for understanding mental health. Although the associations of IBs and BPNs with mental health have been demonstrated in numerous studies, there is still a need to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for these relations. In the present study, RESD was used to evaluate IBs within the context of BPNs and ontological well-being (OWB, or personal life projects) were proposed as a potential mediator in association of RESD with ill-being on the one hand and well-being on the other. Data were collected from 429 adolescents (243 females, 186 males) with the mean age of 16 and analyzed by using structural equation modeling. Participants were completed Rational Emotive Self-determination Scale for Adolescents, Ontological Well-being Scale, Psychological Well-being Scale and Depression, Anxiety and Stress 21 scale. Both the analysis of the measurement model and structural model showed an acceptable fit. Results indicated that the association of RESD with well-being was partially mediated by OWB and similarly the association between RESD and ill-being was partially mediated by OWB. These findings revealed that the IBs about satisfaction of BPNs contributed the well-being and ill-being of adolescents directly and also through personal life projects (OWB).