Are the children of the poor "mature" early? Research on the influence mechanism of childhood socioeconomic status on college students' psychological capital

Abstract

To explore how childhood socioeconomic status affects psychological capital, this study adopted a questionnaire-based approach to conduct a random survey among 466 young college students. The results of the study are as follows: First, childhood socioeconomic status (SES) exerts a notably positive predictive effect on the psychological capital level of young individuals. Second, perceived social support serves as a partial mediator in the relationship between childhood SES and psychological capital. Third, self-reflection ability plays a regulatory role in the first half of the mediating pathways specifically, individuals with strong self-reflection and insight capabilities can strengthen the promotional effect of socioeconomic status on social support. This research uncovers the compensatory mechanism underlying the psychological development of college students in economically disadvantaged environments and offers both theoretical foundations and practical guidance for implementing targeted psychological intervention measures.