The effect of stressful life events on depressive symptoms in Chinese university students: Moderated mediating effect of interpersonal relationship and gender.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the impact of stressful life events on the depressive symptoms of Chinese first-year university students, while considering the influence of interpersonal relationships and gender on this association.

METHODS

A total of 8079 first-year Chinese university students were surveyed using the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List (ASLEC), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Comprehensive Diagnostic Scale of Interpersonal Relationship (CDSIR).

RESULTS

Stressful life event were positively correlated with interpersonal relationships, depressive symptoms, and gender (r = 0.385, 0.264, 0.055, p < 0.001); there was a significant positive correlation between depressive symptoms and interpersonal relationships (r = 0.473, p < 0.001). Stressful life events partially predict depressive symptoms through the mediation of interpersonal relationships, and the proportion of indirect total effect was 63.26 %. The effect of stressful life events on depressive symptoms was moderated by gender. Stressful life events had a positive effect on depressive symptoms in both male and female individuals. Compared with male individuals (simple slope = 0.070, t = 3.467, p < 0.001), female individuals were more susceptible to stressful life events (simple slope = 0.185, t = 9.652, p < 0.001).

LIMITATIONS: The generalizability of the findings is constrained by the composition of the sample. The study's utilization of questionnaire methodology and cross-sectional design poses limitations in establishing definitive causality.

CONCLUSION

The effect of stressful life events on depressive symptoms might be mediated by interpersonal relationships and moderated by gender.