The mediating role of psychological capital in the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BMC Psychiatry

Research

Xin Chen¹  Simeng Wang²  Honghe Li²  Deliang Wen²  Nan Yan³ 

[1] Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Dalian Medical University, No. 9 West Section of Lvshun South Road, Lvshunkou District, 116044, Dalian, Liaoning, PR China;Institute for International Health Professions Education and Research, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, 110122, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China;School of Medical Applied Technology, Shenyang Medical College, No.146 Huanghe Street, Yuhong District, 110034, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China;

关键词: Depressive symptoms;    Anxiety symptoms;    Life satisfaction;    Psychological capital;    COVID-19;    Medical students;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-023-04894-7

 received in 2022-06-17, accepted in 2023-05-22,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAlthough life satisfaction is a predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. This study examined how psychological capital (PsyCap), a positive psychological state, mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted at three medical universities in China. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 583 students. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and PsyCap were measured anonymously. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to explore the effects of life satisfaction on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to examine how PsyCap mediates the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms.ResultsLife satisfaction was positively associated with PsyCap and its four components. There were significant negative associations between life satisfaction, psychological capital, resilience, optimism, and depressive and anxiety symptoms among medical students. Self-efficacy was negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Psychological capital (a×b = -0.3201, BCa 95% CI: -0.3899, -0.2446; a×b = -0.2749, BCa 95% CI: -0.3817, -0.1996), resilience (a×b = -0.2103, BCa 95% CI: -0.2727, -0.1580; a×b = -0.1871, BCa 95% CI: -0.2520, -0.1414), optimism (a×b = -0.2100, BCa 95% CI: -0.3388, -0.1150; a×b = -0.1998, BCa 95% CI: -0.3307, -0.0980), and self-efficacy (a×b = -0.0916, BCa 95% CI: 0.0048, 0.11629; a×b = 0.1352, BCa 95% CI: 0.0336, 0.2117) significantly mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms.LimitationsThis was a cross-sectional study, and causal relationships between the variables could not be ascertained. Self-reported questionnaire instruments were used for data collection, which may have recall bias.ConclusionsLife satisfaction and PsyCap can be used as positive resources to reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological capital and its components (self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) partially mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and depressive symptoms, and completely mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, improving life satisfaction and investing in psychological capital (especially self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) should be included in the prevention and treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students. Additional attention is needed to pay for self-efficacy in such disadvantageous contexts.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 1