Running Head: Self-Deception Enhancement and Well-being

Abstract

Despite the prevalence of self-enhancing biases, their impact on psychological well-being remains a neglected area of research. This study explores the relationship between self-deceptive enhancement and psychological well-being, with a focus on the moderating role of friend's empathy. A total of 544 young adults (Mean age = 18.59 years) and their friends (Mean age = 18.57 years) participated in the study. Friend's empathy, both cognitive and affective, buffers this relationship, leading to better outcomes. Self-deceptive enhancement accounts for 22.2% of the variance in psychological well-being, with friend's empathy having a positive moderating effect. The main argument is that balanced self-deceptive enhancement and friend's empathy can lead to better psychological well-being, highlighting the importance of social relationships in mental health. This study contributes to theoretical development by integrating self-deceptive enhancement and empathy literatures, shedding light on the complex interplay between self-perception, social support, and mental health. The findings provide valuable insights into the adaptive functions of self-deceptive enhancement and the crucial role of empathy in promoting psychological well-being.