Individualization and Mental Well-Being among Youth: The Mediating Role of Social Disembedding

Abstract

This paper examines the connection between individualization and mental wellbeing, evaluate the impact of individualization on social disembedding and determine the mediating role of social disembedding in the connection. These processes are particularly relevant to the case of young adults in the fast-urbanizing Pakistan, which experiences heightened self-responsibility in the context of diminished institutional support. The quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted to gather survey data on 385 urban adults (18-35 years old) in Sargodha, Pakistan. Measurement of individualization, social disembedding and mental well-being was done using standardized scales. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test direct and indirect effects. Individualization was positively associated with mental well-being but also significantly increased social disembedding, which negatively affected mental well-being. Social disembedding partially mediated the relationship between individualization and mental well-being. Policies and interventions should strengthen community, family, and institutional support systems to mitigate the mental health costs of individualization in urban Pakistan.