Prevalence and changes in depressive symptoms among postgraduate students: A systematic review and meta-analysis from 1980 to 2020

The chain mediating role of social support and positive coping between neuroticism and depressive symptoms among graduate students

Introduction

Graduate students face unprecedented levels of neuroticism and pressure compared to their peers. Despite existing research examining the connection between neuroticism and depressive symptoms, a gap in the current understanding of the mediating mechanisms that act on this relationship, especially among this specific student population.

Methods

This study investigated the potential chain-mediating roles of social support and positive coping in the relationship between neuroticism and depressive symptoms among graduate students. The participants were 1845 graduate students who provided demographic information and complete assessments including the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Depression Rating Scale (BDI-II), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). The analysis involved correlational analysis and a chain mediation model was used to investigate the associations among neuroticism, social support, positive coping mechanisms, and depressive symptoms.

Results

The results show significant correlations among neuroticism, depressive symptoms, social support, and positive coping. Moreover, our findings verify that neuroticism affects depressive symptoms in graduate students through three pathways: the mediating effect of social support, the mediating effect of positive coping, and the chain-mediating effect of social support and positive coping.

Discussion

Overall, the hypothesized chain model conclusively fits the data: Neuroticism directly affects depressive symptoms among graduate students and influences depressive symptoms through the mediating effects of social support and positive coping, as well as the chain mediating effects of these two variables.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour and research of its influencing factors

BACKGROUND

Social media has become an indispensable part of contemporary young people's lives, and the influence of social media on college students' eating and other health-related behaviors has become increasingly prominent. However, there is no assessment tool to determine the effects of social media on Chinese college students' eating behavior. This study aims to translate the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour (SESMEB) into Chinese. Its applicability to Chinese college students was examined through reliability and validity indexes, and the influencing factors of SESMEB were explored.

METHODS

The questionnaire survey included 2374 Chinese college students. The Brislin translation model was used to translate the original scale into Chinese. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the construct validity of the scale, and the content validity of the scale was assessed through the content validity index. The internal consistency of the scale was assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's Omega coefficient, split-half reliability, and test-retest reliability. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was performed to identify potential influences on the effects of social media on eating behavior.

RESULTS

EFA supported the one-factor structure, and the factor loadings of each item on this dimension were higher than 0.40. CFA showed good model fitness indexes. The content validity index of the scale was 0.94. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and McDonald's Omega coefficient for the scale were 0.964, the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.953, and the test-retest reliability was 0.849. Gender, education, major, frequency of social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism explained 73.8% of the variance in the effects of social media on eating behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of the SESMEB has good psychometric properties and is a valid measurement tool for assessing the effects of social media on college students' eating behavior. Subjects who were female, highly educated, non-medical, had frequent social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism used social media to have a higher impact on eating behavior.

The mediating roles of coping styles and academic burnout in the relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms among Chinese postgraduates

Background

Since few studies have incorporated factors like stressors, coping styles, and academic burnout into the same model to analyze their impacts on depressive symptoms, this research attempts to establish an optimal structural model to explore the direct and indirect effects of these factors on depressive symptoms.

Methods

A total of 266 postgraduates completed questionnaires regarding coping styles, academic burnout, stressors, and depressive symptoms. The path analysis was applied for investigating the roles of coping styles and academic burnout in mediating the relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms.

Results

The total and direct effects of stressors on depressive symptoms were 0.53 and 0.31, respectively. The proportion of the direct effect of stressors on depressive symptoms to its total effect amounted to 58.50%. The indirect effects of academic burnout, positive coping style, and negative coping style on the association between stressors and depressive symptoms were 0.11, 0.04, and 0.03, taking up 20.75%, 7.55%, and 5.66% of the total effect, respectively. The serial indirect effect of positive coping style and academic burnout was 0.02, accounting for 3.77% of the total effect, while that of negative coping style and academic burnout was 0.02, taking up 3.77% of the total effect.

Conclusions

Coping styles and academic burnout chain jointly mediate the relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms among postgraduates. Thus, encouraging postgraduates to tackle stress positively may reduce the likelihood of the development of academic burnout and further reduce depressive symptoms.

"My Cross-Border PhD Journey": A Qualitative Study on the Educational and Life Challenges of Mainland Chinese PhD Students in Hong Kong

PhD students' poor mental health has been increasingly concerning. However, challenges among PhD students studying aboard are understudied. The Educational and Life Transitions (ELT) model postulates that international PhD students are subject to both academic and acculturative stressors; however, relevant research is limited in the Chinese context. We examined mainland Chinese PhD students' study and living experiences in Hong Kong using a qualitative approach. Through purposive sampling, 37 mainland Chinese PhD students in different disciplines from public-funded universities in Hong Kong were recruited to participate in online focus group interviews (December 2020-February 2021). The interviews were analyzed using the framework analysis method. Ten themes of academic/acculturative stressors were identified. The academic stressors included: (1) high expectations from the supervisors; (2) emphasis on self-discipline as PhD students; (3) peer comparison in academia; (4) difficulties shifting research directions/academic disciplines; (5) uncertainties about future career. The acculturative stressors included: (1) differences in the political environment; (2) language barriers; (3) difficulties living in Hong Kong; (4) limited social interaction with others; (5) local people's discriminatory behaviors. This study sheds light on the stressors experienced by mainland Chinese PhD students in Hong Kong. To better address those students' academic and acculturative stressors, cross-cultural training and additional support from supervisors/the university could be provided.

Mental Health Problems Among Graduate Students in Turkey: a Cross-Sectional Study

In this study, depression/anxiety and academic distress were investigated among graduate students in Turkey. The study sample comprised 459 graduate students who voluntarily completed an online survey (294 women, 64%). Independent t-tests and multivariate analyses were performed to examine group differences. The results confirmed that depression/anxiety and academic distress scores varied according to sociodemographic variables. Whereas depression/anxiety and academic distress did not show significant differences in terms of gender and place of residence, students who had previously sought psychological help had higher levels of depression/anxiety and academic distress. Younger age, being a master's student, and being single increased the risk of having higher levels of depression/anxiety and academic distress. University counseling centers may benefit from these findings in efforts to identify graduate students at risk and apply appropriate prevention and intervention strategies.

Media use degree and depression: A latent profile analysis from Chinese residents

Background

Previous studies have emphasized the media as an essential channel for understanding information about depression. However, they have not divided groups according to the degree of media use to study their differences in depression. Therefore, this study aims to explore the influence of media use on depression and the influencing factors of depression in people with different media use degrees.

Methods

Based on seven items related to media use, a total of 11, 031 respondents were categorized by the frequency of media use using latent profile analysis (LPA). Secondly, multiple linear regression analyzes were conducted to analyze the effects of depression in people with different degrees of media use. Finally, factors influencing depression among people with different degrees of media use were explored separately.

Results

All respondents were classified into three groups: media use low-frequency (9.7%), media use general (67.1%), and media use high-frequency (23.2%). Compared with media use general group, media use low-frequency (β = 0.019, p = 0.044) and media use high-frequency (β = 0.238, p < 0.001) groups are significantly associated with depression. The factors influencing depression in the population differed between media use low-frequency, media use general, and media use high-frequency groups.

Conclusion

The government and the appropriate departments should develop targeted strategies for improving the overall health status of people with different media use degrees.

High prevalence and risk factors of dropout intention among Chinese medical postgraduates

BACKGROUND

A high attrition rate in medical students has exacerbated the physician shortage in China. However, few studies have explored the risk factors of dropout intention in medical postgraduates. This study compared the prevalence of dropout intention and mental distress between medical and non-medical postgraduates in China and investigated risk factors for dropout intention. This study also explored the impact of medical postgraduates' perception of the Chinese healthcare environment on their mental status and dropout intention.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted using online questionnaires from October 2020 to April 2021. Convenience sampling was used to recruit postgraduates in different majors. Outcomes included dropout intention and potential risk factors, including mental distress, quality of life, and fatigue. Medical postgraduates were additionally assessed for healthcare environment satisfaction, burnout, career choice regret, and experiences of workplace violence. A logistic regression model was constructed to evaluate the association between dissatisfaction, mental distress, and turnover intention.

RESULTS

A total of 740 medical and 670 non-medical postgraduates participated in the survey. The rates of depression symptoms (33.8% vs. 39.0%, p < 0.001), anxiety symptoms (22.2% vs. 32.4%, p < 0.001), and somatic symptoms (34.7% vs. 42.4%, p = 0.004) were lower in medical postgraduates, while more medical postgraduates (58.4% vs. 48.4%, p < 0.001) reported dropout intention. Dissatisfaction with the healthcare environment (odds ratio [OR]: 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-2.34, p = 0.005), career choice regret (OR: 6.23; 95% CI: 4.42-8.78, p < 0.001), and high perceived stress (OR: 2.74; 95%CI: 1.90-3.94, p < 0.001) remained independently associated with turnover intention.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental distress is common among postgraduates, calling for timely interventions. Medical postgraduates reported higher turnover intention. Healthcare environment perception also affected the mental health and dropout intentions of medical students. A decent future income, reduced workload, shorter duration medical training, and better doctor-patient relationships are urgently needed.

Exploring graduate student mental health and service utilization by gender, race, and year in school

OBJECTIVE

The current study explored differences in mental health problems, services utilization, and support of graduate students by gender, race/ethnicity, and year in school.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants consisted of 734 graduate students from a large, Midwestern university.

METHODS

Graduate students answered a series of questionnaires in fall 2021 assessing their mental health, services utilization, and perception of services.

RESULTS

Women (vs men) and participants in their second year and beyond (vs first year) reported greater mental health problems, negative impact of the pandemic, and more services utilization. White (vs non-White) participants reported greater negative impact of the pandemic, greater services utilization, and less financial strain. Finances, lack of knowledge about resources, and inadequate communication from the university about services were reported as treatment barriers.

CONCLUSION

Graduate students struggle with mental health, and universities may need to improve communication with and tailor their services to graduate students specifically to better support them.

Family function and life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of meaning in life and depression

Recent studies have documented life satisfaction of people have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is unknown about the influential factors and mechanisms of life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a strong link among life satisfaction and individual quality of life and achievement, so it is important to explore the influence mechanism of life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students and explore ways to improve life satisfaction for the development of postgraduate medical students. The current study was based on the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family System, The Theory of Family Functioning, The Meaning Maintenance Model, The Theory of Personal Meaning and Existential Theory to construct theoretical framework and examine whether meaning in life and depression would mediate the link between family function and postgraduate medical students' life satisfaction. By convenient sampling method, a total of 900 postgraduate medical students (Mage = 27.01 years, SD = 3.33) completed questionnaires including Family APGAR Scale, Chinese Version of Meaning In Life Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Satisfaction With Life Scale. In this study, SPSS 25.0 was used for correlation analysis, regression analysis and common method bias test, and AMOS 23.0 was used for structural equation modeling analysis. The results showed that (a) family function could predict life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students significantly; (b) both meaning in life and depression mediated the association between family function and life satisfaction in a parallel manner; (c) meaning in life and depression sequentially mediated the link between family function and life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students. The study illuminates the role of meaning in life and depression in improving life satisfaction and implies that it is necessary to focus on the changes of life satisfaction of postgraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and medical educator can improve the sense of meaning in life of postgraduate medical students through improving their family function, further decreasing the risk of depression, finally improving their life satisfaction.