Basic psychological needs and negative affective conditions in Chinese adolescents: Does coping still matter?

How rumination influences meaning in life among Chinese high school students: the mediating effects of perceived chronic social adversity and coping style

Meaning in life can be affected by many factors during adolescence. This study explored the relationship between rumination and meaning in life among high school students, as well as the mediating effect of perceived chronic social adversity and coping style. A sample of 1,275 Chinese high school students were surveyed using four questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted using Harman's single-factor test, Pearson's correlation coefficient with confidence intervals (CI), and a structural equation model. We found that rumination significantly negatively affected meaning in life among high school students (β = -0.28, 95% CI = -0.33-0.23). Perceived chronic social adversity (β = -0.14, 95% CI = -0.29-0.02) and negative coping style (β = -0.09, 95% CI = -0.16-0.04) each had mediating effects between rumination and meaning in life. Further, perceived chronic social adversity and coping style had chain-mediating effects between rumination and meaning in life, with both positive (β = -0.11, 95% CI = -0.17-0.07) and negative (β = -0.08, 95% CI = -0.13-0.04) coping styles showing significant effects. To enhance the meaning in life among high school students, appropriate strategies to reduce the levels of rumination and perceived chronic social adversity are needed, while also fostering appropriate coping styles.

Autonomy-relatedness Patterns and their Association with Academic and Psychological Adjustment among Chinese Adolescents

Establishing autonomy and maintaining relatedness with parents are two of the most crucial goals for adolescents and meeting these goals can be critical for academic and psychological adjustment. A two-dimensional framework was proposed for exploring the integrative synthesis of autonomy and relatedness, but its cultural applicability was limited. To better account for the situations associated with non-Western cultural context, this study extended the prior framework to three dimensions (volition, functional independence, and relatedness) and utilized latent profile analysis to explore the configurations and their concurrent and longitudinal (one year later) associations with adjustment (academic engagement, academic buoyancy, depressive symptoms, and externalizing problems). The study collected data from 3992 Chinese adolescents (51.33% girls, M_age = 15.41, SD = 0.55). Latent profile analyses identified five profiles: High, High Functional Independence, Moderate, Low Functional Independence, and Extremely Low Functional Independence. The High profile was the robust optimal pattern for academic and psychological adjustment, while the Low Functional Independence and Extremely Low Functional Independence were risk patterns over time. The High Functional Independence profile was only conducive to academic areas but not to psychological areas. Findings demonstrated the necessity of the three-dimensional framework in this field.

Reciprocal relationships between self-esteem, coping styles and anxiety symptoms among adolescents: between-person and within-person effects

BACKGROUND

Previous researches have not distinguished the between-person effects from the within-person effects when exploring the relationship between self-esteem, coping styles, and anxiety symptoms among adolescents. To address this gap, this study investigated reciprocal associations among self-esteem, coping styles, and anxiety symptoms in a three-wave longitudinal panel survey, using an analytical strategy that disaggregates the within-person and the between-person variance.

METHODS

Data was drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescents' Mental and Behavioral Well-being Research study conducted in 10 public schools in the Guangdong province of China. All participants had a baseline visit (N = 1957, mean age 13.6, grades 7 and 10) and follow-up interviews at 1-year intervals for 3 years. A random intercept cross-lagged panel model combined with mediation analysis was performed.

RESULTS

At the within-person level, the following results were observed. (1) Low self-esteem and anxiety symptoms bidirectionally predicted each other. (2) Low self-esteem and negative coping style bidirectionally predicted each other. (3) Anxiety symptoms predicted subsequent negative coping style but not vice versa. At the between-person level, we obtained the following main results. (1) Significant predictive effects on the random intercept were found among all three study constructs. (2) There were sex differences regarding the association between self-esteem and anxiety symptoms and the correlation of females was stronger than that of males. (3) Self-esteem mediated the reciprocal relations between coping styles and anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, findings revealed a reciprocal relationship between low self-esteem and anxiety symptoms for both females and males. Besides, anxiety symptoms predict subsequent negative coping style but not vice versa. We also highlighted the mediating role of self-esteem in the reciprocal relations between coping styles and anxiety symptoms. Thus, interventions targeted at promoting self-esteem and cultivating positive coping style may help reduce adolescent anxiety.

The relationship between basic psychological needs and emotional and behavioral problems in middle school students

BACKGROUND

Basic psychological needs are universal sources of mental growth and development.

PURPOSE

This study investigated the relationship between basic psychological needs and emotional and behavioral problems in middle school students.

METHODOLOGY

This study adopted a cross-sectional and correlational research design. The sample consisted of 1099 students from three middle schools with different socioeconomic backgrounds. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

A one-unit increase in autonomy, competence, and relatedness led to a 0.312, 0.263, and 0.312 decrease in emotional and behavioral problems, respectively (p < 0.05). The regression analysis showed that gender (female), academic performance (poor), mother's parenting style (authoritarian), and father's parenting style (permissive) were the risk factors affecting participants' emotional and behavioral problems (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that some basic psychological needs and sociodemographic characteristics make middle school students more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems. Authorities should develop interventions on basic psychological needs to promote emotional and behavioral development. Researchers should assess the effectiveness of those interventions.

How Differential Dimensions of Social Media Overload Influences Young People's Fatigue and Negative Coping during Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic? Insights from a Technostress Perspective

Although social networking sites have emerged as the primary source of information for young people, there is a dearth of knowledge concerning the underlying associations between differential aspects of social media overload and whether social media overload ultimately influenced people's negative coping strategies during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. In order to fill this gap in existing knowledge, the current research employed the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) theoretical paradigm to explicate social media fatigue and negative coping strategies from a technostress perspective. The study used cross-sectional methodology, whereby 618 valid questionnaire responses were gathered from WeChat users to assess the conceptual model. The obtained outcomes demonstrated that information overload and communication overload positively impacted young people's fatigue. Furthermore, these two patterns of perceived overload heighten social media fatigue, which ultimately leads to young people's negative coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings would extend the present social media fatigue and technical stress literature by identifying the value of the SSO theoretical approach in interpreting young people's negative coping phenomena in the post-pandemic time.

Effects of filial piety belief on cyberbullying perpetration of Chinese university students

Cyberbullying has become a worldwide phenomenon. Although the topic has drawn decent academic attention and many studies have been conducted on Chinese samples, variable interests in these studies have not captured the thinking and behavioral characteristics of Chinese people. Based on the dual filial piety model and self-determination theory, this study examined the effect of filial piety belief on cyberbullying perpetration and tested the mediation of relatedness need satisfaction. A total of 856 university students completed the questionnaires, including dual filial piety scale, relatedness need satisfaction scale and cyberbullying perpetration scale. The regression results found that reciprocal filial piety negatively predicted and authoritarian filial piety positively predicted cyberbullying perpetration. The SEM results showed that reciprocal filial piety and authoritarian filial piety impacted cyberbullying perpetration through the mediating effect of relatedness need satisfaction. Reciprocal filial piety was positively while authoritarian filial piety negatively correlated with relatedness need satisfaction and relatedness need satisfaction was negatively correlated with cyberbullying perpetration. The results provide a new position to understand the effect of family factors on cyberbullying perpetration by placing the topic within traditional Chinese family value.

Contingent self-worth and depression in early adolescents: The role of psychological inflexibility as a mediator

This study investigated whether lower psychological flexibility (psychological inflexibility) mediates the relationship between contingent self-worth and depressive symptoms among Japanese adolescents. A total of 210 Japanese junior high school students aged 12 to 15 years (106 boys and 104 girls) were recruited for this study. Participants completed the Japanese adaptations of the Self-Worth Contingency Questionnaire, the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth, and the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children. Results indicated that psychological inflexibility mediated the association between contingent self-worth and depressive symptoms. Specifically, contingent self-worth affected lower psychological flexibility, which influenced higher depressive symptoms. The results highlight the importance of fostering autonomy and promoting psychological flexibility to reduce the risk of depression among adolescents.

Videoconferencing-based cognitive behavioral therapy for youth with anxiety and depression during COVID-19 pandemic

The need for psychosocial intervention programmes to address the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdown restrictions on the mental health of young people is evident. Using a within subject pretest-posttest design, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-based anxiety and depression management psychoeducation programmes on mental health and coping skills in youth ages 14-20. The Demographic Information Form, Revised Child Anxiety Depression Scale, and KidCope were administered before and after the psychoeducational programme to assess programme outcomes. The results indicate significant decreases in levels of anxiety, significant decreases in avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations and significant increases in coping skills following the online CBT Anxiety Management Psychoeducation Program. A significant decrease in depression scores was noted among the online CBT Depression Management Psychoeducation Program participants. Although these results should be interpreted cautiously due to limitations of the study (e.g., no control group, high attrition), they suggest that psychological prevention or intervention programmes may be beneficial for young people who are physically unable to go to school or who cannot interact face-to-face with social support networks.

Does childhood maltreatment increase the subsequent risk of problematic smartphone use among adolescents? A two-wave longitudinal study

There is a lack of longitudinal data on the relationship between childhood maltreatment and problematic smartphone use and its underlying mechanisms. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent problematic smartphone use and explore the mediating effects of basic psychological needs and self-compassion in this relationship. We employed a two-wave longitudinal design among 890 Chinese adolescents (49.0% males, mean age at Time 2 = 15.96 ± 0.46 years). They completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale at Time 1, and the Basic Need Satisfaction Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale at Time 2. The results indicated that prior maltreatment experiences positively predicted adolescents' subsequent problematic smartphone use (p < .001); and basic psychological needs satisfaction and self-compassion did not parallelly mediate the relationship between prior maltreatment experiences and subsequent problematic smartphone use. Finally, basic psychological needs satisfaction and self-compassion completely and sequentially mediated the relationship between prior maltreatment experiences and subsequent problematic smartphone use. Interventions that target students engaging in problematic smartphone use should focus on reducing childhood maltreatment and improving their psychological needs satisfaction and self-compassion.

Am I Gonna Get a Job? Graduating Students’ Psychological Capital, Coping Styles, and Employment Anxiety

Thoughts about life after school can be frightening for college students. The uncertainty about employment expectancies can engender crippling anxiety, especially in a time of a major pandemic—COVID-19, and urgent attention is needed. This study, drawing on the self-determination theory, demonstrates preliminary protective effect of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) on employment anxiety among a relatively understudied group—graduating college students (Chinese sample = 546). It further illustrates the mediating mechanism of coping styles in this relation. Thus, the motivational impetus of PsyCap facilitates positive coping style (PCS) while diminishing negative coping style (NCS) which, in turn, hinders students’ employment anxiety. Furthermore, the results revealed that students’ internship experience strengthens the influence of graduating students’ PsyCap on their PCS, but that with NCS and anxiety was nonsignificant. This research proffers valuable insights on college students’ from-school-to-work transition for higher education institutions and career counselors, particularly in this turbulent labor market.