The serial mediation effect of prospective imagery vividness and anxiety symptoms on the relationship between perceived stress and depressive symptoms among Chinese vocational college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The mental health of vocational college students has been neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prospective imagery may play a role in the relationships among stress, anxiety and depression. This study aimed to survey the mental health of Chinese vocational college students and explore the mediation effect of prospective imagery vividness and anxiety symptoms on the relationship between perceived stress and depressive symptoms. A total of 2, 381 vocational college students ( M age = 18.38 years, range: 16–21, SD = 0.92) provided self-report data on perceived stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms and prospective imagery vividness. Two potential serial mediation models were postulated regarding the roles of prospective imagery vividness and anxiety symptoms in the relationship between perceived stress and depressive symptoms. The prevalence rates of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms were 55.7%, 33.2% and 53.5%, respectively, among vocational college students. Perceived stress was associated with decreased vividness of positive prospective imagery and increased vividness of negative prospective imagery and anxiety symptoms, leading to increased depressive symptoms. Additionally, prospective imagery vividness and anxiety symptoms had a serial mediation effect on the relationship between perceived stress and depressive symptoms. The results demonstrated that impoverished vividness of positive prospective imagery is not only a central feature of depression but also associated with anxiety. Interventions targeting prospective imagery vividness may alleviate anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese vocational college students and should be implemented as soon as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Relationship Between Personality Traits, Emotional Stability and Mental Health in Art Vocational and Technical College Students During Epidemic Prevention and Control

“…5 Liu et al’s research of 2381 vocational school students in China showed that the prevalence of student stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms were 55.7%, 33.2% and 53.5%, respectively. 6 …”

“…5 Liu et al's research of 2381 vocational school students in China showed that the prevalence of student stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms were 55.7%, 33.2% and 53.5%, respectively. 6 A personality trait is a relatively stable personality state formed by a person that reflects that person's attitude towards things. A large body of evidence suggests that personality can be seen as an emergent property of the response to emotional experience.…”