Mediating effect of psychological suzhi on the relationship between perceived social support and self-esteem

The Mediating Roles of Future Work Self and Hope on the Association Between Perceived Social Support and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Vocational School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose

Depressive symptoms are serious mental health problems, which are harmful for adolescents' physical and psychological development. Limited studies have focused on depressive symptoms of vocational high school students, who are more susceptible to mental health problems than high school students. Based on the main effect model of social support and self-regulation theory, the current study aims at exploring two potential mediating roles of hope and future work self on the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms among vocational high school students by a cross-sectional study.

Participants and Methods

A total of 521 vocational high school students aged 14-21 (M= 16.45; SD= 0.91) participated in the survey. There were 266 males (51.1%) and 255 females (48.9%). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support, the future work self scale, the children's hope scale, and the center for epidemiologic studies depression scale were applied in the study.

Results

The results revealed that: (1) perceived social support, future work self, and hope were negatively related to depressive symptoms (r = -0.25 to -0.35, p < 0.001); (2) students who perceived more social support have fewer depressive symptoms (β = -0.22, p < 0.001); (3) perceived social support predicted a more salient future work self and then was associated with higher levels of hope, which in turn, was related to lower levels of depressive symptoms (β = -0.02, and 95% CI = [-0.035, -0.005]).

Conclusion

Perceived social support was the protective factor against vocational school students' depressive symptoms. More specifically, stronger perceived social support predicted a more salient future work self, which promoted high level of hope, and ultimately decreased vocational school students' depressive symptoms. The findings provide enlighten implications for interventions on depressive symptoms among vocational high school students.

Sources of Social Support, Self-Esteem and Psychological Distress among Chinese Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People

Objective

Minority stressors are associated with increased psychological distress, and social support is considered as a significant protective factor to mitigate the psychological distress in LGB individuals. In China, LGB individuals suffer additional pressure from society and family, but only a few studies have explored the effect of social support on the psychological distress of Chinese LGB individuals and the mechanism underlying the association. The current study aimed to examine the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between three sources of social support (from family, friends, and others) and psychological distress in Chinese LGB individuals.

Methods

227 LGB individuals (M age = 25.9 years; SD = 5.6) who were voluntarily recruited by a combination of snowballing and targeted sampling strategies. Path analysis was used to test the associations between variables.

Results

Results indicated that 31.3% of LGB individuals had a high level of psychological distress. The results showed that social support from family, friends, and others was associated with higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of psychological distress. Only the mediating effect of self-esteem was found between friend support and psychological distress.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that friend support might be a protective factor against psychological distress in Chinese LGB individuals, and more friend support could potentially relieve psychological distress by building higher self-esteem. These results highlight the importance of fostering friend support in the group of Chinese LGB individuals.

Forgiveness as a Mediator between Psychological Suzhi and Prosocial Behavior in Chinese Adolescents

Prosocial behavior contributes to the well-being of individuals as well as the harmonious development of society. This research aimed to reveal the mechanisms underlying the relationship between the psychological suzhi and prosocial behavior of Chinese adolescents with the consideration of time. A total of 477 adolescents (228 boys, 49.1%; M_age = 14.04 and SD = 1.77) from southwest China completed three questionnaires during waves 1 and 2. Results showed that psychological suzhi and forgiveness were positively correlated with prosocial behavior in both waves 1 and 2; psychological suzhi significantly predicted both current and three months later prosocial behavior and forgiveness played a mediating role in both immediate and lasting effects of psychological suzhi on prosocial behavior. Psychological suzhi and forgiveness are vital predictors of adolescents' prosocial behaviors in China. Interventions based on psychological suzhi and forgiveness are essential to promote the development of pro-social behaviors.

Analysis of factors influencing substance use craving among Chinese substance users

BACKGROUND

Substance use has been a serious public safety issue. It not only affects the users' physical and mental health but is also detrimental to social stability. To improve our understanding of this issue, the present study looked to examine the factors influencing substance use craving and develop interventions to reduce craving and relapse among substance users.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 502 substance users were included in this study. Socio-demographic characteristics and substance use-related characteristics were recorded using self-developed forms. With regard to psychological traits, we used the self-esteem scale, the experience of shame scale, and the revised Cheek and Buss shyness scale to assess the self-esteem, shame, and shyness of substance users, respectively. The degree of substance use craving of substance users was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). Data were analyzed using independent samples T-test, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis, as appropriate.

RESULTS

The majority of the substance users were unmarried, employed, and with lower education levels. For substance use-related characteristics, the age of first use was 27.52 ± 8.30 years and the duration of substance use was 12.29 ± 7.72 years. The scores of their self-esteem, shame, and shyness were 25.65 ± 3.19, 57.26 ± 7.82, and 37.8 ± 7.13, respectively. All substance users rated the intensity of their substance use cravings using the VAS, which showed that the mean score was 2.83 ± 1.87. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that substance use craving was positively associated with the frequency of substance use (β = 0.186, P < 0.001), times of substance rehabilitation (β = 0.128, P = 0.003), shyness (β = 0.211, P < 0.001), and shame (β = 0.091, P = 0.033), and negatively associated with self-esteem (β = -0.117, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

Factors and psychological traits related to substance use are important to account for substance use craving and relapse. Thus, our findings are helpful for a better understanding of the extent of substance use cravings among users and the selection of appropriate interventions to control the craving and relapse.

Determinants of Perceived Stress in Adolescence: The Role of Personality Traits, Emotional Abilities, Trait Emotional Intelligence, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Esteem

The aim of the current study was to examine the explanatory power of personality traits, emotional abilities, trait emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and self-esteem in predicting perceived stress in adolescents. The data were collected from 406 high school students, aged 18-22 years (Mage = 18.47, SD = 0.64). Perceived stress was assessed with the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Personality traits were measured with the Eysenck Personality Short Scale (EPQ-R-S), emotional abilities were assessed with two performance tests, the Emotional Intelligence Scale - Faces (SIE-T), and the Emotion Understanding Test (TRE), and trait emotional intelligence was measured with a selfreport questionnaire (the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale, SEIS). The Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were also used. Results indicate that the strongest determinant of perceived stress in adolescents was high neuroticism. Perceived stress was also determined by low self-efficacy and self-esteem, as well as high extraversion and psychoticism. Women reported higher perceived stress than men. There also were differences in the determinants of perceived stress between graduate and nongraduate students. The obtained results suggest that the development of high self-esteem and high self-efficacy may contribute to perceptions of lower stress in adolescents and may be especially valuable for neurotic individuals and for women, who are more exposed to stress.