Undergraduates’ well-being from the perspective of social skills and empathic orientation

This study examined the relationship between social skills and well-being by taking into account self/other ­orientation in terms of empathy. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 210 undergraduates measuring empathy, social skills, and well-being (life satisfaction and distress). A correlational analysis revealed that other-oriented empathy and social skills positively related to life satisfaction, while high self-oriented empathy and low social skills related to distress. In addition, a cluster analysis classified the participants into 4 groups created from crossing scores of ratings of empathy and social skills scales, and the findings in an ANOVA revealed that students with high other-oriented, low self-oriented empathy and high social skills exhibited better well-being than others. It was noted that both high other-oriented empathy and low self-oriented empathy were especially important for interpersonal adjustment facilitated by social skills, leading to well-being.