A Correlational Study on the Association between Psychological Capital and Digital Well-being among Young Adults.

Abstract

The rapid integration of digital technology into the daily lives of young adults has made digital well-being an important concern within contemporary psychological research. The present study examined the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and digital well-being (DWB) among young adults aged 18 to 21 years. Specifically, the study aimed to explore the association between PsyCap and DWB, and to determine whether significant gender differences existed in either construct. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational research design was employed. A total of 200 young adults (89 males, 111 females) were recruited through purposive sampling from undergraduate colleges and universities in the Jammu region, India. Psychological capital was assessed using the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-12; Luthans et al., 2007), and digital well-being was measured using the Digital Well-Being Scale (DWB-12; Dienlin& Johannes, 2020). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's product-moment correlation, and independent samples t-tests. Results revealed moderate-to-high levels of both PsyCap (M = 51.49, SD = 9.67) and DWB (M = 42.56, SD = 6.71). A strong, statistically significant positive relationship was found between PsyCap and DWB, r (198) = .67, p < .01, indicating that higher psychological resources are associated with greater digital well-being. No significant gender differences were observed in either DWB, t (198) = 0.47, p = .639, or PsyCap, t (198) = 1.65, p = .100. The findings highlight psychological capital as a meaningful internal resource for healthy digital functioning in early adulthood and underscore the value of PsyCap-building interventions within educational and counselling contexts.