Effect of Family Cohesion on Depression of Chinese College Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Chain Mediation Effect of Perceived Social Support and Intentional Self-Regulation

Abstract

Individuals’ perceptions, attitudes, and patterns of getting along with family members are important factors influencing Chinese people’s self-evaluation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of family cohesion on depression and the role of perceived social support and intentional self-regulation in this association. A hypothe-sized model of the association of family cohesion, perceived social support, intentional self-regulation, and depression was examined. A convenience sampling method was used to survey 1,180 college students in Yunnan Province using self-report. Data were collected using the Family Cohesion Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Intentional Self-Regulation Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. The findings revealed low to moderate correlation between the variables studied. College students’ family cohesion was a negative predictor of their depression. This association was also mediated by the knock-on effect of perceived social support and intentional self-regulation. These findings show how family cohesion affects college stu-dents’ depressive status. Specifically, these results help demonstrate the importance of family cohesion, perceived social support, and intentional self-regulation in optimizing students’ depression, which in turn can promote bet-ter psychological states.