Psychological capital links social support to student outcomes in both economically disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged college students

Drawing on social support theory, positive psychology, and resource-based perspectives, this study examined whether psychological capital (PsyCap) mediates the relationships among teacher support, peer support, and family cohesion and two student outcomes—meaning in life and learning engagement—as well as whether these mediating pathways differ between economically disadvantaged and economically non-disadvantaged college students. Data were collected through an online survey from 1756 students, of whom 646 were disadvantaged and 1110 non-disadvantaged, studying at a university in southern China. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis showed that PsyCap mediated several pathways linking social support and family cohesion to student outcomes, although the significance and magnitude of these indirect effects varied across economic groups. These findings highlight the role of PsyCap as a protective psychological resource, particularly for economically disadvantaged students, and provide practical implications for designing targeted interventions to strengthen student well-being and learning engagement.