Discrepancy in perceived social support and related factors among Chinese college students with and without siblings

I explored the relationships between stress, social support, and depression among Chinese college students, focusing in particular on the moderating effect of social support in the link between stress and depression. Participants were 594 college students who completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, and the SelfRating Depression Scale. Results indicate that stress and depression were significantly and positively correlated, social support and depression were significantly and negatively correlated, and social support significantly moderated the effect of stress on depression. In the high social support group, stress and depression were not significantly correlated, whereas in the low social support group, stress and depression were significantly correlated. In sum, both stress and social support were significantly correlated with depression, and social support moderated the effect of stress on depression among college students.

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Psychological Impact and Associated Factors During the Containment Stage of Covid-19 Epidemic Among College Students in China

10.21203/rs.3.rs-80603/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mingyu Si ◽

Xiao-You Su ◽

Yu Jiang ◽

Wen-Jun Wang ◽

Xiao-Fen Gu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

College Students ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Psychological State ◽

Perceived Threat ◽

Related Factors ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background College students are a uniquely vulnerable group and may experience high stress levels due to COVID-19. This study aims to identify the the psychological state and related factors on Chinese college students during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods From February 23 to March 5, 2020, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 3606 college students from seven provinces in China using standard questionnaires measuring adverse psychological outcomes and related factors including Impact of Event Scale-6 (IES-6), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to determine underlying constructs of the perceived threat items. Multivariate regression was used to explore the determinants of adverse psychological impact. Results Posttraumatic stress (PTS) were prevalent in this sample of college students, and 34.22% met the cut-off for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The proportion of having mild to extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were 15.70%, 13.31% and 7.10%, respectively. The impact of closed-off management on life, perceived threat and passive coping strategies were positively correlated to PTS and DASS scores, while knowledge score, perceived social support and active coping strategies were negatively correlated to DASS scores. Conclusions In summary, adverse psychological symptoms were prevalent among college students in China during the COVID-19 epidemic. Identifying vulnerable populations and formulating correspondingly psychological interventions would be beneficial to improve the mental health during the COVID-19 epidemic.

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Prevalence and its associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03066-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mingli Yu ◽

Fangqiong Tian ◽

Qi Cui ◽

Hui Wu

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

College Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Online Education ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Chinese College Students

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mental health crisis around the world. The psychological health of college students also faces great challenges. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and the related factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. Methods This online cross-sectional survey was conducted via Wenjuanxing platform from March 3–15, 2020 and received 1681 effective questionnaires. Each questionnaire contains the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, the Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Herth Hope Index, and the self-designed items. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the significantly associated factors of depressive symptoms. Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms among college students was 56.8%. Sleep problems (OR 2.678, 95%CI 2.094–3.424), family members’ going out (OR 1.775, 95%CI 1.089–2.894), perceived more stress for online education (OR 1.642, 95%CI 1.191–2.263), fear of COVID-19 (OR 1.450, 95%CI 1.121–1.876), influence on social interaction (OR 1.354, 95%CI 1.053–1.741) and higher grade (OR 1.378, 95%CI 1.046–1.816) were considered as risk factors of depressive symptoms. Perceived social support (OR 0.354, 95%CI 0.259–0.484), hope (OR 0.052, 95%CI 0.034–0.080), female (OR:0.557, 95%CI 0.427–0.725) and higher monthly disposable income (OR 0.666, 95%CI 0.447–0.993) were identified as protective factors against depressive symptoms. Conclusions There was a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to find ways to alleviate the pressure and fear of college students, to provide them with more social support, and to help them adapt to the changes in learning style and lifestyle.

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