Abstract

This study examined the influence of young women’s belief in the just world(BJW) on their depression, focusing on contextual factors understanding women's depression. Specifically, this study tested the mediating effect of sense of control in the relationship between belief in the just world and depression, and further examined the moderated mediation effect of women’s support in the mediation model. A total of 271 young women completed the following questionnaires: Belief in a Just World Scale (K-BJWS), Mastery Scale, Hopelessness Depression Questionnaire Korean Version, Women’s Support Scale. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and PROCESS　3.5. The results of this study are as follows. First, a sense of control has been shown to mediate the relationship between belief in the just world and depression. Second, women’s support moderated the mediating effect of sense of control. Based on these results, we discussed the significance of this study's findings and strategies for counseling intervention. Lastly, limitations of this study and suggestions for further study were also discussed.