Family Cohesion and Stress Consequences Among Chinese College Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model

Yadi Zeng; Baojuan Ye; Yanzhen Zhang; Qiang Yang

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.703899

Frontiers in Public Health (Jul 2021)

Family Cohesion and Stress Consequences Among Chinese College Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model

Yadi Zeng,
Baojuan Ye,
Yanzhen Zhang,
Qiang Yang

Affiliations

Yadi Zeng: Center of Preschool Education, Center of Mental Health Education and Research, School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
Baojuan Ye: Center of Preschool Education, Center of Mental Health Education and Research, School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
Yanzhen Zhang: Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
Qiang Yang: Center of Preschool Education, School of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.703899
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9

Abstract

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Family plays a pivotal role in individuals' mental health. During the COVID-19 epidemic, people were being quarantined at home to prevent the further spread of the virus. Therefore, the influence of family on individuals is more significant than usual. It is reasonable to assume that family cohesion can effectively alleviate the stress consequences during the COVID-19 epidemic. In the present study, a moderated mediation model was constructed to examine the mechanisms underlying the association between family cohesion and stress consequences among Chinese college students. A large sample of Chinese college students (N = 1,254, Mage = 19.85, SDage = 1.29) participated in the study. Results indicated that family cohesion was negatively related to stress consequences. Fear of COVID-19 partially mediated the link between family cohesion and stress consequences. Excessive affective empathy reported by participants served to aggravate the relation between fear of COVID-19 and stress consequences. The study helps us understand how internal and external factors affect individual mental health that provides meaningful implications for promoting mental health.

Published in Frontiers in Public Health

ISSN: 2296-2565 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health

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