Personality Traits, Coping Strategies, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Chinese University Students During COVID-19
While COVID-19 imposed significant risks to the mental health of individuals of all ages, research suggests that university students were particularly vulnerable to such risks in this period. This study examined whether personality traits predicted the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese university studen...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | COVID |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/5/3/39 |
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| Summary: | While COVID-19 imposed significant risks to the mental health of individuals of all ages, research suggests that university students were particularly vulnerable to such risks in this period. This study examined whether personality traits predicted the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese university students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic; whether the coping strategies they used mediated such relationships; and whether the patterns of relationship differed across males and females. Participants (453 females, 374 males) completed online measures of personality, coping strategies, and of adverse shifts to mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the extent to which personality traits predicted mental health shifts, and path analyses were conducted to investigate whether these relationships were mediated by the coping strategies used. Neuroticism was found to be a significant predictor of more adverse mental health responses for both sexes during the pandemic, which was partially mediated by the coping strategies students used (in particular, avoidance coping strategies). Coping strategies played a weaker mediating role for females, suggesting that additional factors may influence their mental health responses. Tailored mental health support interventions should, therefore, consider both personality traits and the coping mechanisms used by individuals in response to stressful life events. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-8112 |