The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in China
BackgroundMental health issues such as anxiety and depression have become increasingly common among Chinese university students, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores the relationships between personality health, psychological flexibility, coping styles, and mental health in th...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1578793/full |
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| author | Xiao Yang Xiao Yang Kartini Ilias Kartini Ilias Khairil Anuar Md Isa Qing-hong Li Hai-bin Wang Huan Li |
| author_facet | Xiao Yang Xiao Yang Kartini Ilias Kartini Ilias Khairil Anuar Md Isa Qing-hong Li Hai-bin Wang Huan Li |
| author_sort | Xiao Yang |
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| description | BackgroundMental health issues such as anxiety and depression have become increasingly common among Chinese university students, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores the relationships between personality health, psychological flexibility, coping styles, and mental health in this population.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2,528 university students (aged 18–25, 53.26% male). Personality was assessed using the MMPI, psychological flexibility via the AAQ and CFQ-F, and coping styles using the SCSQ. Mental health outcomes were gathered as part of a university-wide assessment.ResultsAfter controlling for demographic variables, personality health, psychological flexibility, and coping styles were significantly associated with mental health. Psychological flexibility showed a moderate correlation (r = 0.454–0.660, p < 0.001). The final multivariate model, including psychological flexibility and coping styles, explained a moderate portion of variance in mental health (Adjusted R2 = 0.4892, p < 0.001).ConclusionPsychological flexibility and adaptive coping strategies play a key role in promoting mental health among university students. Targeted interventions in these areas—such as integrating them into university curricula and support programs—can help mitigate anxiety and depression. Though based on a Chinese sample, the findings align with global research, highlighting the cross-cultural relevance of psychological flexibility in mental health interventions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f559eb431cdc47af9bfc31c20fbb42ed |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-f559eb431cdc47af9bfc31c20fbb42ed2025-08-01T12:53:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-08-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15787931578793The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in ChinaXiao Yang0Xiao Yang1Kartini Ilias2Kartini Ilias3Khairil Anuar Md Isa4Qing-hong Li5Hai-bin Wang6Huan Li7Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM Puncak Alam Campus, Puncak Alam, Selangor, MalaysiaSchool of Educational Sciences, Huangshan University, ShuaiShui Campus, Huangshan, Anhui, ChinaFaculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM Puncak Alam Campus, Puncak Alam, Selangor, MalaysiaBusiness and Consumer Health Sciences (BiZ-HeALtH), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, MalaysiaFaculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, UiTM Puncak Alam Campus, Puncak Alam, Selangor, MalaysiaSchool of Mathematics and Statistics, Huangshan University, ShuaiShui Campus, Huangshan, Anhui, ChinaSchool of Educational Sciences, Huangshan University, ShuaiShui Campus, Huangshan, Anhui, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Huangshan University, ShuaiShui Campus, Huangshan, Anhui, ChinaBackgroundMental health issues such as anxiety and depression have become increasingly common among Chinese university students, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores the relationships between personality health, psychological flexibility, coping styles, and mental health in this population.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2,528 university students (aged 18–25, 53.26% male). Personality was assessed using the MMPI, psychological flexibility via the AAQ and CFQ-F, and coping styles using the SCSQ. Mental health outcomes were gathered as part of a university-wide assessment.ResultsAfter controlling for demographic variables, personality health, psychological flexibility, and coping styles were significantly associated with mental health. Psychological flexibility showed a moderate correlation (r = 0.454–0.660, p < 0.001). The final multivariate model, including psychological flexibility and coping styles, explained a moderate portion of variance in mental health (Adjusted R2 = 0.4892, p < 0.001).ConclusionPsychological flexibility and adaptive coping strategies play a key role in promoting mental health among university students. Targeted interventions in these areas—such as integrating them into university curricula and support programs—can help mitigate anxiety and depression. Though based on a Chinese sample, the findings align with global research, highlighting the cross-cultural relevance of psychological flexibility in mental health interventions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1578793/fullpersonality healthpsychological flexibilitycoping mechanismsmental healthuniversity students |
| spellingShingle | Xiao Yang Xiao Yang Kartini Ilias Kartini Ilias Khairil Anuar Md Isa Qing-hong Li Hai-bin Wang Huan Li The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in China Frontiers in Psychology personality health psychological flexibility coping mechanisms mental health university students |
| title | The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in China |
| title_full | The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in China |
| title_fullStr | The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in China |
| title_short | The role of healthy personality, psychological flexibility, and coping mechanisms in university students’ mental health in China |
| title_sort | role of healthy personality psychological flexibility and coping mechanisms in university students mental health in china |
| topic | personality health psychological flexibility coping mechanisms mental health university students |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1578793/full |
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