Open Access
ARTICLE
Effect of Family Cohesion on Depression of Chinese College Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Chain Mediation Effect of Perceived Social Support and Intentional Self-Regulation
Jingjing Wang1, Xiangli Guan1,*, Yue Zhang2, Yang Li1, Md Zahir Ahmed3, Mary C. Jobe4, Oli Ahmed5
1
School of Teacher Education, Yuxi Normal University, Yuxi, 653100, China
2
Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
3
School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
4
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, 20052, USA
5
Department of Psychology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, 4331, Bangladesh
* Corresponding Author: Xiangli Guan. Email:
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2023, 25(2), 223-235. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2022.025570
Received 20 July 2022; Accepted 29 August 2022; Issue published 02 February 2023
Abstract
Individuals’ perceptions, attitudes, and patterns of getting along with family members are important factors influencing Chinese people’s self-evaluation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of family cohesion on
depression and the role of perceived social support and intentional self-regulation in this association. A hypothesized model of the association of family cohesion, perceived social support, intentional self-regulation, and
depression was examined. A convenience sampling method was used to survey 1,180 college students in Yunnan
Province using self-report. Data were collected using the Family Cohesion Scale, the Perceived Social Support
Scale, the Intentional Self-Regulation Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. The
findings revealed low to moderate correlation between the variables studied. College students’ family cohesion
was a negative predictor of their depression. This association was also mediated by the knock-on effect of perceived social support and intentional self-regulation. These findings show how family cohesion affects college students’ depressive status. Specifically, these results help demonstrate the importance of family cohesion, perceived
social support, and intentional self-regulation in optimizing students’ depression, which in turn can promote better psychological states.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Wang, J., Guan, X., Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Ahmed, M. Z. et al. (2023). Effect of Family Cohesion on Depression of Chinese College Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Chain Mediation Effect of Perceived Social Support and Intentional Self-Regulation.
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 25(2), 223–235.