The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience Between Perceived Social Support and Quality of Life Following Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective: This study was designed to determine whether psychological resilience mediates the relationship between perceived social support and quality of life among patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
Method: A total of 191 patients diagnosed with AMI who were followed up at the cardiology outpatient clinic of a university hospital between February 10 and June 30, 2026, were enrolled in this descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study. Data were collected using a Patient Information Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Heart Quality of Life Questionnaire. Hypothesized mediating relationships were evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM).
Results: The participants' mean scores were 59.73±10.77 for perceived social support, 19.73±4.55 for psychological resilience, and 2.30±0.53 for quality of life. A statistically significant positive relationship was observed between perceived social support and psychological resilience (r = 0.329). Likewise, psychological resilience was significantly and positively associated with quality of life (r = 0.419), while perceived social support demonstrated a significant positive association with quality of life (r = 0.297) (all P < 0.001). Findings from the structural equation model indicated that perceived social support was associated with quality of life through both a direct pathway (β = 0.180, P = 0.025) and an indirect statistical pathway involving psychological resilience (β = 0.150, P < 0.001), consistent with partial statistical mediation by psychological resilience.
Conclusion: Among survivors of AMI, the relationship between perceived social support and quality of life was partially statistically mediated by psychological resilience. These findings may inform future longitudinal and interventional studies examining whether resilience-focused and family-oriented approaches are associated with improved quality of life.

Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction, psychological resilience, quality of life, social support.