Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students
Abstract Background The outbreak of Covid-19 had negative impacts on the mental stress and induced psychological distress among university students worldwide. This study proposed a moderated mediation model, and hypothesized that the Covid-19 pandemic-related stress was positively related to depress...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03671-8 |
| _version_ | 1818979410281234432 |
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| author | Lu Lu Xiaobin Wang Xuehang Wang Xiaoxi Guo Bochen Pan |
| author_facet | Lu Lu Xiaobin Wang Xuehang Wang Xiaoxi Guo Bochen Pan |
| author_sort | Lu Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The outbreak of Covid-19 had negative impacts on the mental stress and induced psychological distress among university students worldwide. This study proposed a moderated mediation model, and hypothesized that the Covid-19 pandemic-related stress was positively related to depressive symptoms among international medical students. Methods An online survey on stress and depressive symptoms of international students was conducted in a medical university. Questions on Covid-19 pandemic-related stress, Patient Health Quesionnaire-9, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and the Perceived Social Support Scale were used as measurements, and model analyses were conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results It was found that 9.83%, 3.08% and 2.12% students had mild, moderate and severe depressive symptoms, respectively, and the positive association between Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms was significant (β = 0.27, t = 6.87, P < 0.01). Negative coping was also significantly correlated to depressive symptoms (β = 0.26, t = 6.60, P < 0.01), and partially mediated the association between Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms. Perceived social support had a negative association with depressive symptoms (β=-0.26, t=-6.25, P < 0.01), played a negative moderating role in the relationship between negative coping and depressive symptoms, and moderated the indirect effect of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress on depressive symptoms via negative coping. Conclusions Results of the study suggested that under the background of continuing pandemic, intervention or prevention of mental health problem is urgently needed for the international students, and depression may be alleviated through reducing negative coping and increasing perceived social support. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:59:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae668bf1dc444796a79162d9ba58e9e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:59:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae668bf1dc444796a79162d9ba58e9e22022-12-21T19:32:37ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2022-01-0122111110.1186/s12888-021-03671-8Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical studentsLu Lu0Xiaobin Wang1Xuehang Wang2Xiaoxi Guo3Bochen Pan4Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityInternational Education School, China Medical UniversityInternational Education School, China Medical UniversityCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityAbstract Background The outbreak of Covid-19 had negative impacts on the mental stress and induced psychological distress among university students worldwide. This study proposed a moderated mediation model, and hypothesized that the Covid-19 pandemic-related stress was positively related to depressive symptoms among international medical students. Methods An online survey on stress and depressive symptoms of international students was conducted in a medical university. Questions on Covid-19 pandemic-related stress, Patient Health Quesionnaire-9, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and the Perceived Social Support Scale were used as measurements, and model analyses were conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results It was found that 9.83%, 3.08% and 2.12% students had mild, moderate and severe depressive symptoms, respectively, and the positive association between Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms was significant (β = 0.27, t = 6.87, P < 0.01). Negative coping was also significantly correlated to depressive symptoms (β = 0.26, t = 6.60, P < 0.01), and partially mediated the association between Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms. Perceived social support had a negative association with depressive symptoms (β=-0.26, t=-6.25, P < 0.01), played a negative moderating role in the relationship between negative coping and depressive symptoms, and moderated the indirect effect of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress on depressive symptoms via negative coping. Conclusions Results of the study suggested that under the background of continuing pandemic, intervention or prevention of mental health problem is urgently needed for the international students, and depression may be alleviated through reducing negative coping and increasing perceived social support.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03671-8Covid-19StressDepressive symptomsCoping stylePerceived social support |
| spellingShingle | Lu Lu Xiaobin Wang Xuehang Wang Xiaoxi Guo Bochen Pan Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students BMC Psychiatry Covid-19 Stress Depressive symptoms Coping style Perceived social support |
| title | Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students |
| title_full | Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students |
| title_fullStr | Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students |
| title_short | Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students |
| title_sort | association of covid 19 pandemic related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students |
| topic | Covid-19 Stress Depressive symptoms Coping style Perceived social support |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03671-8 |
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