Life stress and mental health of Chinese college students in the post-epidemic era: the multiple mediating effects of core and potential psychological capital

Life stress and mental health of Chinese college students in the post-epidemic era: the multiple mediating effects of core and potential psychological capital | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Life stress and mental health of Chinese college students in the post-epidemic era: the multiple mediating effects of core and potential psychological capital Xianhua Yang, Linjie Pu, Sha Shen This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3845590/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Although the threat of COVID-19 has dramatically diminished, its far-reaching impact on college students cannot be ignored. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of how life stress affects the mental health of college students in the post-epidemic era and the underlying mechanism, this study measured the life stress, core psychological capital, potential psychological capital, and mental health of 1497 college students in western China. The results show that life stress is essential in predicting college students' mental health; the core psychological capital and potential psychological capital mediated the relationship between life stress and mental health. These findings enrich the stress theory and reveal the mechanisms by which life stress hurts the mental health of college students, filling a gap in the previous literature. In practical application, this study provides important implications for school administrators to take adequate measures to improve college students' mental health. Life stress mental health the post-epidemic era core psychological capital potential psychological capital Figures Figure 1 1. Introduction In 2019, the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) marked the onset of a global public health crisis, with a significant escalation commencing in January 2020, posing a substantial threat to human health. As of November 22, 2023, at 2:06 AM, the worldwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases had reached 772,166,517, accompanied by a lamentable toll of 6,981,263 fatalities (World Health Organization, 2023) [ 50 ] . Beyond the evident physical health damage, COVID-19 has imposed formidable psychological burdens on individuals [ 52 ] . Notably, medical practitioners and educators have been documented to manifest psychological disturbances such as depression and anxiety in the context of COVID-19. [ 21 ][ 22 ] Furthermore, COVID-19 has had a severe impact on college students. Specifically, to prevent the spreading of the epidemic, many countries have implemented lockdown policies in colleges. Though the closure of schools has prevented the spreading of the epidemic [ 53 ] , long-term isolation restricts the free activities and social interactions of college students, leading to emotional problems such as loneliness, anxiety and depression and harming the mental health of college students. [ 14 ][ 35 ][ 45 ] In order to solve this problem, some researchers explored the mental health and influencing factors of college students during COVID-19. [ 6 ][ 51 ] For example, Chang et al. (2020) explored the mental health of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the overall incidence of anxiety was 26.60%, and 21.16% of students experienced depressive symptoms. [ 6 ] In addition, gender, history of alcohol consumption, and excessive negative information about the epidemic were all associated with mental health. Riches of studies have focused on the mental health of college students during COVID-19. However, researchers point out that even after the end of the pandemic, people may still experience symptoms such as mood disorders, irritability, insomnia, and depression, which may last for several months to three years. [ 4 ] Therefore, it is crucial to explore the mental health of college students in the post-pandemic era and its potential mechanism, as this will not only broaden our understanding of the enduring psychological impact of the pandemic on college students but also can be a crucial first step in developing and implementing effective intervention measures. 2. Literature review College is a transitional period from an individual's childhood to adulthood , [ 38 ] which is often more complex than any other. [ 2 ] During this time, students have to struggle with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. [ 10 ][ 30 ][ 39 ] These psychological challenges impact college students' well-being [ 1 ][ 23 ] and harm their educational and social outcomes. For instance, research conducted by Eisenberg, Golberstein, and Hunt (2009), as well as Hysenbegasi, Hass, and Rowland (2005), has shown that these mental health problems can lead to poor academic performance and increased dropout rates. [ 11 ][ 19 ] Previous studies showed that individual-level traits affect the mental health of college students. For instance, studies have demonstrated a correlation between the age of college students and their likelihood of experiencing psychological issues; older students are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. [ 8 ] Similarly, studies have found that college students with life-behind experiences are more likely to experience psychological problems. [ 30 ] Additionally, some researchers have proposed that 75% of psychological problems first appear in an individual's youth and are primarily caused by stress. [ 39 ] Due to the pandemic's impact, economic shock, and other factors, contemporary college students are more stressed than students in previous years. [ 20 ] Stress refers to the relationship between the individual and the environment, which emerges when the relationship is unbalanced, usually caused by the loss or threat of loss of the resources possessed by the individual or the failure to obtain adequate resources. [ 17 ] Most researchers conceptualize stress as one of the risk factors for increasing individual psychological problems, and the relationship between the two has been verified. For instance, studies have found a significant relationship between stress and mental health in college students. [ 29 ][ 41 ] There are various types of stress experienced by college students. As a central construct in many human health models, life stress is considered an essential factor affecting the mental health of college students. [ 24 ][ 37 ] For instance, Hoyt et al. (2021) discovered that life stress is a primary source of stress for college students. [ 18 ] Specifically, a higher level of life stress is linked to poorer mental health. Although previous studies have shown the relationship between life stress and mental health, such as anxiety and depression, life stress can not only lead to adverse outcomes but also produce positive outcomes, such as increasing individual creativity. [ 27 ] In addition, not everyone will have psychological problems under stressful situations, which is supported by some cognitive neuroscience evidence. [ 5 ] For example, though some college students experience long-term life pressures, such as families unable to pay for their school expenses, they do not develop psychological problems. Therefore, scholars have begun to explore potential mediating variables that affect the relationship between life stress and mental health. For instance, research has shown that personality traits significantly influence this relationship. [ 9 ] Similarly, cognitive biases mediate the relationship between stressful events and mental well-being. [ 31 ] Furthermore, according to the stress process model proposed by Pearlin et al. in 1981, [ 40 ] stress can directly influence an individual's emotions and indirectly impact them by eroding their psychological resources, such as a sense of control. The stress buffer hypothesis suggests that individuals with positive characteristics can mitigate the adverse emotional effects of stress. As a result, individuals with positive characteristics are more resilient in high-pressure environments than those with negative characteristics. [ 12 ] Therefore, it is evident that college students, despite life stress, can utilize their positive psychological resources to mitigate the negative impact on their mental health. These resources encompass but are not limited to, physical well-being, mental resilience, and social support systems. By accessing these resources, individuals can effectively cope with stress. Psychological capital is a crucial psychological resource individuals own, referring to their "state of positive psychological development", which can lead to positive outcomes for individuals. [ 33 ] Specifically, individuals with a high level of psychological capital possess additional resources to handle current tasks, anticipate positive results, and remain positive in the face of setbacks. Studies have demonstrated that psychological capital positively impacts mental health. [ 13 ][ 47 ][ 32 ] Specifically, psychological capital is positively associated with individual satisfaction and happiness while being negatively linked to psychological issues such as depression and burnout. Furthermore, studies have shown a correlation between stress and psychological capital. [ 36 ] Specifically, high levels of stress are associated with a reduction in psychological capital. According to the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, people generally strive to actively maintain, protect, and build valuable resources. [ 16 ] However, resource-poor individuals often must allocate their limited resources to relieve stress, which often exceeds their capacity. This can lead to accelerated resource depletion, trapping them in a vicious loss cycle. More importantly, based on the stress, resources, and adaptation paradigm, some researchers have found that psychological capital mediates between environmental variables and individual work performance and mental health. For instance, studies have demonstrated that employees' perceptions of organizational support can influence job burnout through psychological capital. [ 46 ] Similarly, Kwag et al. (2011) and Shen et al. (2014) found that psychological capital served as a mediating factor in the relationship between occupational stress and depression among college teachers. [ 28 ][ 43 ] Riolli et al. (2012) further demonstrated that college students' psychological capital mediated their stress and happiness. [ 42 ] Therefore, previous studies have suggested that psychological capital acts as a mediator in the relationship between life stress and the mental health of college students. To better understand the role of psychological capital, researchers have categorized it into two main components: core psychological capital and potential psychological capital. [ 34 ] Core psychological capital is a core psychological factor that promotes individual growth and performance, mainly including self-confidence, hope, optimism, and resilience. Potential psychological capital arises from the delayed economic benefits of positive psychological qualities and positive psychological states, including emotional intelligence, immersion, intelligence, and sincerity. Although previous studies have examined the relationship between psychological capital and stress and individual performance, they have primarily focused on the role of core psychological capital. However, the role of potential psychological capital and distinct types of psychological capital require attention. By exploring the role of core and potential psychological capital, we can better understand the mechanisms behind psychological capital's influence on individual performance. In particular, in the post-epidemic era, it is valuable to explore the role of different psychological capital in the life stress and mental health of Chinese college students. Based on the above discussion, this study integrates life stress, different kinds of psychological capital, and mental health into a theoretical framework, intends to systematically investigate the impact of life stress on the mental health of college students, and further explore the mediating role of different kinds of psychological capital on this basis. 3. Methods 3.1 Participants We recruited 1550 college students from Lanzhou, Xi'an, China, to participate in the study, and 1497 valid questionnaires were obtained by eliminating invalid questionnaires, with an effective recovery rate of 97%. More specifically, 614 (41%) males and 883 (59%) were females. The mean age was 20.42 years, with a standard deviation of 1.63. All subjects voluntarily participated in the study and provided informed consent before completing the questionnaire. 3.2 Measures 3.2.1 Student-Life Stress Scale Life stress was assessed using the Student-Life Stress scale developed by Gadzella (1991). This scale encompasses five domains: frustration stimulation, inner conflict, external stress, life changes, and self-imposed, with 51 items. Respondents rated each item on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always), with higher scores indicating higher levels of life stress. The alpha coefficient for this scale was 0.914, indicating its high reliability. 3.2.2 Psychological Capital Scale Psychological capital was assessed using the Chinese psychological capital scale developed by Zheng, Liang, and Yang (2011), [ 54 ] initially compiled by Luthans (1991). The scale comprises 16 items and includes two dimensions: core psychological capital and potential psychological capital. Core psychological capital encompasses confidence, hope, and optimism, while potential psychological capital incorporates intelligence, emotional intelligence, immersion, and sincerity. Respondents used a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (totally unlike me) to 5 (totally like me) to rate each item, with higher scores indicating higher levels of psychological capital. The alpha coefficient for this scale was 0.815, indicating its high reliability. 3.2.3 Mental health scale Mental health was assessed using the Chinese version of the Student-Mental Symptom Scale developed by Wang, Wang, and Ma (1991). [ 49 ] The scale comprises eleven items and five dimensions: obsessive-compulsive symptoms, fear symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, hostile impulse, and anxiety symptoms. Respondents used a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (none) to 5 (severe) to rate each item, with higher scores indicating worse mental health. The alpha coefficient for this scale was 0.942, indicating its high reliability. 3.3 Data collection and processing SPSS 20.0 was utilized for statistical data processing, while Amos 18.0 and Mplus 6.0 were employed to build a structural equation model and test the mediation effect. 3.3.1 Test of Standard Method Deviation To assess the presence of common method bias, we performed the Harman single-factor test on the data. The results of the unrotated principal component factor analysis revealed 22 factors with characteristic root values greater than 1. The variance explained by the first factor was 16.021%, which is less than the critical standard of 40%. Therefore, we conclude that this study has no common method bias. 4. Results 4.1 Correlation analysis among variables Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were conducted to explore the relationships between life stress, core psychological capital, potential psychological capital, and mental health. The results revealed significant correlations among all variables (see Table 1 ). Table 1 Descriptive statistics and correlation of each variable (n = 1497) M ± SD 1 2 3 4 1Life stress 2.38 ± 0.65 1 2Core psychological capital 3.87 ± 0.70 − .501 *** 1 3Potential psychological capital 3.82 ± 0.68 − .437 *** .628 *** 1 4Mental health 1.89 ± 0.71 .650 *** − .569 *** − .303 *** 1 Note:* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, ** p < 0.001 4.2 Mediation effect test The structural equation model examined the relationship between life stressors, core psychological capital, potential psychological capital, and mental health. Based on the theoretical hypothesis, life stress was the independent variable; mental health was the dependent variable, and core psychological capital and potential psychological capital were the mediating variables. Two mediation models, M0 (complete mediation model) and M1 (partial mediation model), were established. Each fitting index of the two models met the measurement requirements (see Table 2 ). A comparison between M0 and M1 revealed that model M0 fitted better and was more concise. The structural equation model is shown in Fig. 1 . Table 2 Results of model fitting index Model NPAR CMIN DF P CMIN/DF GFI NFI IFI CFI RMSEA Model 0 41 683.607 130 0.000 5.259 0.948 0.950 0.959 0.959 0.053 Model 1 42 681.599 129 0.000 5.287 0.946 0.948 0.957 0.957 0.056 4.3 Significance test of mediating effect The bootstrap analysis assessed the mediation effect with repeated sampling of 1000 times. The 95% confidence interval did not overlap with 0, indicating a significant mediation effect. The standardized effect size, effect size, and 95% confidence interval for the mediation effect are presented in Table 3 , and all confidence intervals exclude 0. The results support the mediating roles of core psychological capital and potential psychological capital in the relationship between life stressors and mental health. Table 3 Results of Bootstrap test for significance of mediation effect Path Standardized effect size Effect size 95% confidence interval Lower limit Upper limit Life stressor - Core psychological capital - Mental health 0.601×0.672 = 0.404 49.82% 0.020 0.185 Life stressor - Potential psychological capital - psychological symptom 0.653×0.623 = 0.407 50.18% 0.016 0.145 Total effect 0.811 100% 5 Discussions This study incorporated both types of psychological capital into a mediating model to explore the impact and mediating mechanism of life stress on mental health among Chinese college students in the post-pandemic era. The results showed that in the post-pandemic era, the life stress of Chinese college students ultimately affects their mental health through core psychological capital and potential psychological capital. Therefore, this study has important theoretical significance and implications for college administrators and teachers in improving the mental health of college students. The study showed that core and potential psychological capital mediate the relationship between college students' life stress and mental health. This finding can be explained using the ERI model [ 44 ] and COR theory [ 17 ] . The ERI model is the cornerstone for explaining the results. Numerous studies suggest that an imbalance between personal effort and reward and excessive commitment can lead to adverse consequences such as mental problems and decreased job satisfaction. [ 3 ][ 48 ] Stress can result from the dynamic interaction between an individual and their surrounding environment, stemming from an imbalance between their resources or abilities when faced with a stressful situation and those required to address the problem effectively. When facing stress, it is inevitable for college students to draw upon their psychological capital to help them cope actively. Psychological capital encompasses two dimensions: potential and core. Potential psychological capital includes emotional intelligence, immersion, intelligence, and sincerity. When college students encounter stress, their emotional intelligence is crucial in effectively comprehending and appropriately managing their emotions. By doing so, they can foster positive relationships with others and gain access to additional employment-related information and resources, thereby enhancing their capacity to cope with stress effectively. Immersion enables college students to direct their attention more intently and efficiently towards task completion, thereby mitigating the impact of stress. Intelligence facilitates a deeper understanding and practical problem-solving, paving the way for improved coping strategies. With sincerity, students can establish and maintain genuine and healthy relationships, augmenting their social support, fostering a sense of belonging, and bolstering their resilience to stress. Core psychological capital comprises self-efficacy, optimism, and hope. When confronted with stress, college students with high self-efficacy exhibit greater confidence and are better equipped to handle challenges and pressures. They adopt a positive mindset, actively seek solutions to problems, and persistently pursue their goals. Optimistic college students often perceive opportunities and potential beyond difficulties and challenges, which fuels their motivation to cope with stress. College students endowed with hope establish clear objectives and take tangible actions towards their fulfilment. Even in the face of adversity and setbacks, they persevere and tackle problems head-on. Consequently, when confronted with stress, an individual's core and potential capital can align with the abilities or resources required in stressful situations, thereby mitigating the detrimental impact of stress on college students' mental health. Furthermore, the COR theory offers a compelling framework for interpreting the results of this study. According to COR theory, individuals inherently strive to maintain, safeguard, and cultivate valuable resources. However, when stressed, those with limited resources often expel their finite psychological capital. In such instances, their investments and returns are frequently disproportionate, resulting in an accelerated depletion of resources and a descent into the vicious cycle known as the "loss spiral." College students enduring significant life pressures are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. Their prolonged stress response keeps them in a constant state of tension. While they may initially possess ample potential and core psychological capital, these resources are gradually depleted during the protracted coping process. Over time, they may discover that their psychological capital is insufficient to effectively manage stress, leading to a diminished sense of self-efficacy and feelings of inferiority, which, in turn, can adversely impact their mental health and cause setbacks in their academic pursuits, career aspirations, and interpersonal relationships. Our research has important theoretical implications. While extensive research has been conducted on the factors influencing the mental health of college students during the pandemic across various countries, yielding notable insights, [ 7 ][ 15 ][ 26 ] the post-pandemic era remains relatively unexplored. Moreover, although the impact of life stress and psychological capital on college student's mental health has been amply studied, the majority of these investigations have concentrated on core psychological capital, overlooking potential psychological capital. Our study, situated within the context of the post-pandemic era, is the inaugural effort to investigate how college students facing life stress leverage diverse types of psychological capital to navigate changes in their mental health. The present study enriches college students' mental health theories, addressing a gap in the literature concerning the stress-mental health nexus and elucidating the mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship. These insights are poised to deepen our understanding of the role of psychological capital in shaping college students' mental health in the post-pandemic era. From a practical perspective, this study has important implications for parents and educators. Firstly, it underscores the need to bolster the core psychological capital of college students, which is pivotal in shaping their mental health. Parents and educators can play a crucial role by extending support and encouragement, thereby aiding students in fostering self-confidence and adopting positive mindsets to tackle life's stresses. Secondly, the study highlights the importance of nurturing potential psychological capital, which notably influences mental health. In this vein, parents and educators can offer pertinent training and guidance, aiding students in enhancing their emotional intelligence and psychological resilience. Thirdly, it is imperative to enhance educational strategies. By leveraging the insights derived from this research, educators can refine their approaches and foster the development of positive psychological attributes among students. The self-confidence and psychological resilience of college students can be developed through personalized support and guidance tailored to the unique characteristics of individual students, aimed at bolstering their self-confidence and psychological resilience. Our research also has some limitations. Firstly, the variables used in this study were self-reported questionnaires, which may lead to homogeneity errors. Future research should collect data from multiple sources, such as professional teachers and head teachers, to improve the objectivity of the data. In addition, under different sources of stress, different psychological capital may play different roles. Future research can examine the role of different psychological capital in different sources of stress, such as academic pressure and life stress. Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate This study has received approval from Shangluo University ethics committee. The research primarily employs a questionnaire survey to collect basic data from participants. All participants were informed about the purpose and process of the study, and voluntarily agreed to participate. Written consent was obtained from each participant before the survey. We will strictly maintain the confidentiality of all data, which will only be accessible to members of the research team. Furthermore, each participant's personal information will be de-identified to protect their privacy. Availability of data and materials The data from this study are publicly available and the corresponding author can be contacted if necessary. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Funding This work was Supported by the key project of the Teacher Development Research Program Project of Shaanxi Teacher Development Research Institute(SJS2022ZD007). 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Oxford University Press, USA. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195187526.001.0001 Ma, Z., Zhao, J., Li, Y., Chen, D., Wang, T., Zhang, Z., ... & Liu, X. (2020). Mental health problems and correlates among 746 217 college students during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in China. Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences , 29 , e181.https://doi.org/10.1017/s2045796020000931 Mensah, J., & Amponsah-Tawiah, K. (2014). Work stress and quality of work life: The mediating role of psychological capital. Research Journal in Organizational Psychology and Educational Studies (RJOPES) , 3 (5), 350-358. Misra, R., Crist, M., & Burant, C. J. (2003). Relationships among life stress, social support, academic stressors, and reactions to stressors of international students in the United States. International Journal of Stress Management , 10 (2), 137-157.https://doi.org/10.1037/1072-5245.10.2.137 Montgomery, M. J., & Côté, J. E. (2003). College as a transition to adulthood. Blackwell handbook of adolescence , 149-172. Othman, A. K., Rashid, M. A. A., Othman, M. N. A., Yusop, Z. M., Anuar, A., & Abdullah, M. Z. (2023). Moderating effect of religiosity as the coping strategy on the relationship between stressors and mental health. Central European Management Journal , 31 (1), 550-562. https://doi.org/10.57030/23364890.cemj.31.1.58 Pearlin, L. I., Menaghan, E. G., Lieberman, M. A., & Mullan, J. T. (1981). The stress process. Journal of Health and Social Behavior , 337-356. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136676 Prowse, R., Sherratt, F., Abizaid, A., Gabrys, R. L., Hellemans, K. G., Patterson, Z. R., & McQuaid, R. J. (2021). Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic: examining gender differences in stress and mental health among university students. Frontiers in psychiatry , 12 , 650759. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.650759 Riolli, L., Savicki, V., & Richards, J. (2012). Psychological capital as a buffer to student stress. Psychology , 3 (12), 1202. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2012.312a178 Shen, X., Yang, Y. L., Wang, Y., Liu, L., Wang, S., & Wang, L. (2014). The association between occupational stress and depressive symptoms and the mediating role of psychological capital among Chinese university teachers: A cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry , 14, 329. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-014-0329-1 Siegrist, J. (2016). Effort-reward imbalance model . In Stress: Concepts, cognition, emotion, and behavior (pp. 81-86). Academic Press. Song, H. T., Ge, C. H., Chang, L. X., Zhao, T. T., Wu, W., Ge, D. X., ... & Zhang, X. L. (2022). Investigation on the psychological status of college students during the coronavirus disease-2019 epidemic. The Journal of General Psychology , 149 (4), 456-467.https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309.2021.1893637 Tang, Y., Wang, Y., Zhou, H., Wang, J., Zhang, R., & Lu, Q. (2023). The relationship between psychiatric nurses’ perceived organizational support and job burnout: Mediating role of psychological capital. Frontiers in Psychology , 14 , 1099687.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1099687 Turliuc, M. N., & Candel, O. S. (2022). The relationship between psychological capital and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A longitudinal mediation model. Journal of Health Psychology , 27 (8), 1913-1925. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053211012771 Tseng, P. C., Lin, P. Y., Liang, W. M., Lin, W. Y., & Kuo, H. W. (2022). Effort-reward imbalance and job strain index associated with health-related quality of life for civil servants in a national survey: the mediation effect of job support and over-commitment. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 35 (4), 425-436. Wang, X.D., Wang, X.L., Ma, H.(1991).The Mental Health Rating Scale Manual.Beijing: The Chinese Journal of Mental Health.31-35. WHO, 2023. https://covid19.who.int/ Wu, M., Xu, W., Yao, Y., Zhang, L., Guo, L., Fan, J., & Chen, J. (2020). Mental health status of students’ parents during COVID-19 pandemic and its influence factors. General psychiatry , 33 (4).https://doi.org/10.1136/gpsych-2020-100250 Xiao, S., Luo, D., & Xiao, Y. (2020). Survivors of COVID-19 are at high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. Global health research and policy , 5 , 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-020-00155-2 Zhang, J., Lu, H., Zeng, H., Zhang, S., Du, Q., Jiang, T., & Du, B. (2020). The differential psychological distress of populations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Brain, behavior, and immunity , 87 , 49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.04.031 Zheng, T.K., Liang, G.L., Yang, Y.M. (2011).Research on the prediction model of "dedication input-psychological capital-performance output" for young scientific and technological talents--Based on the empirical analysis of the quality evaluation of young scientific and technological talents in BG enterprises.Psychological Research.4(01),55-62. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files DatesofstudyBMC.xlsx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3845590","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":268847712,"identity":"1f2334c7-0031-4892-a607-3993e8cf1f24","order_by":0,"name":"Xianhua Yang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shangluo University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xianhua","middleName":"","lastName":"Yang","suffix":""},{"id":268847713,"identity":"34232403-fe8b-40f3-94a0-dfdabd48cefe","order_by":1,"name":"Linjie Pu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Northwest Minzu Univerisity;","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Linjie","middleName":"","lastName":"Pu","suffix":""},{"id":268847714,"identity":"514754d6-b734-4980-a6e6-c3bcf0b82bd2","order_by":2,"name":"Sha Shen","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAy0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSBOMGBIYGBvbHz4gWgtDwqAWngONxtLEKuF8cEHoBaJ9DYBHmJ0yM9uPvYgwaAuj3/mwzagfjs53QYCWgzuHEs3SDA4XCxxO7EN6MBkY7MDhLRI5JhJJBgcSGy4ndhuIMFwIHEbIS3yM/K/AbXUJc6/ebBNgocYLQw3ctiAWpgTN9xgJFKLwY00kMMOJ248kwgMZAMi/CI/I/mZ5I8/dYnzjh9/+PBDhZ0cQS3olpKmfBSMglEwCkYBDgAAFvBG1POUfX8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Northwest Minzu Univerisity;","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sha","middleName":"","lastName":"Shen","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-01-08 14:14:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3845590/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3845590/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":50107591,"identity":"a3eff90b-b20c-4452-9c12-5b3d7a4b5fbc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-24 16:18:26","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":133649,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe influence of life stressors on mental health: The complete mediating effect of core psychological capital and potential psychological capital\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"FigureofBMC.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3845590/v1/5f76a408f36084ef48702da1.png"},{"id":60209467,"identity":"a4b85de5-ab48-4afe-922c-347419173e1d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-07-13 07:04:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":696269,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3845590/v1/98e534a6-5975-4c6a-b668-83fb6fdcad9f.pdf"},{"id":50107592,"identity":"9368807b-5ea2-434d-a1fa-99ddd6b1416c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-24 16:18:27","extension":"xlsx","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":5108253,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"DatesofstudyBMC.xlsx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3845590/v1/56418495243cedf74fdbbdef.xlsx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Life stress and mental health of Chinese college students in the post-epidemic era: the multiple mediating effects of core and potential psychological capital","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn 2019, the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) marked the onset of a global public health crisis, with a significant escalation commencing in January 2020, posing a substantial threat to human health. As of November 22, 2023, at 2:06 AM, the worldwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases had reached 772,166,517, accompanied by a lamentable toll of 6,981,263 fatalities (World Health Organization, 2023)\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Beyond the evident physical health damage, COVID-19 has imposed formidable psychological burdens on individuals\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Notably, medical practitioners and educators have been documented to manifest psychological disturbances such as depression and anxiety in the context of COVID-19.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Furthermore, COVID-19 has had a severe impact on college students. Specifically, to prevent the spreading of the epidemic, many countries have implemented lockdown policies in colleges. Though the closure of schools has prevented the spreading of the epidemic\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e, long-term isolation restricts the free activities and social interactions of college students, leading to emotional problems such as loneliness, anxiety and depression and harming the mental health of college students.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e In order to solve this problem, some researchers explored the mental health and influencing factors of college students during COVID-19.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eFor example, Chang et al. (2020) explored the mental health of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the overall incidence of anxiety was 26.60%, and 21.16% of students experienced depressive symptoms.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e In addition, gender, history of alcohol consumption, and excessive negative information about the epidemic were all associated with mental health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRiches of studies have focused on the mental health of college students during COVID-19. However, researchers point out that even after the end of the pandemic, people may still experience symptoms such as mood disorders, irritability, insomnia, and depression, which may last for several months to three years.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, it is crucial to explore the mental health of college students in the post-pandemic era and its potential mechanism, as this will not only broaden our understanding of the enduring psychological impact of the pandemic on college students but also can be a crucial first step in developing and implementing effective intervention measures.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Literature review","content":"\u003cp\u003eCollege is a transitional period from an individual's childhood to adulthood ,\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e which is often more complex than any other.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eDuring this time, students have to struggle with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eThese psychological challenges impact college students' well-being \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e and harm their educational and social outcomes. For instance, research conducted by Eisenberg, Golberstein, and Hunt (2009), as well as Hysenbegasi, Hass, and Rowland (2005), has shown that these mental health problems can lead to poor academic performance and increased dropout rates.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrevious studies showed that individual-level traits affect the mental health of college students. For instance, studies have demonstrated a correlation between the age of college students and their likelihood of experiencing psychological issues; older students are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eSimilarly, studies have found that college students with life-behind experiences are more likely to experience psychological problems.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eAdditionally, some researchers have proposed that 75% of psychological problems first appear in an individual's youth and are primarily caused by stress.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eDue to the pandemic's impact, economic shock, and other factors, contemporary college students are more stressed than students in previous years.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eStress refers to the relationship between the individual and the environment, which emerges when the relationship is unbalanced, usually caused by the loss or threat of loss of the resources possessed by the individual or the failure to obtain adequate resources.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eMost researchers conceptualize stress as one of the risk factors for increasing individual psychological problems, and the relationship between the two has been verified. For instance, studies have found a significant relationship between stress and mental health in college students.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eThere are various types of stress experienced by college students. As a central construct in many human health models, life stress is considered an essential factor affecting the mental health of college students.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eFor instance, Hoyt et al. (2021) discovered that life stress is a primary source of stress for college students.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eSpecifically, a higher level of life stress is linked to poorer mental health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlthough previous studies have shown the relationship between life stress and mental health, such as anxiety and depression, life stress can not only lead to adverse outcomes but also produce positive outcomes, such as increasing individual creativity.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e In addition, not everyone will have psychological problems under stressful situations, which is supported by some cognitive neuroscience evidence.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e For example, though some college students experience long-term life pressures, such as families unable to pay for their school expenses, they do not develop psychological problems. Therefore, scholars have begun to explore potential mediating variables that affect the relationship between life stress and mental health. For instance, research has shown that personality traits significantly influence this relationship.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSimilarly, cognitive biases mediate the relationship between stressful events and mental well-being.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eFurthermore, according to the stress process model proposed by Pearlin et al. in 1981,\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e stress can directly influence an individual's emotions and indirectly impact them by eroding their psychological resources, such as a sense of control. The stress buffer hypothesis suggests that individuals with positive characteristics can mitigate the adverse emotional effects of stress. As a result, individuals with positive characteristics are more resilient in high-pressure environments than those with negative characteristics.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eTherefore, it is evident that college students, despite life stress, can utilize their positive psychological resources to mitigate the negative impact on their mental health. These resources encompass but are not limited to, physical well-being, mental resilience, and social support systems. By accessing these resources, individuals can effectively cope with stress.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePsychological capital is a crucial psychological resource individuals own, referring to their \"state of positive psychological development\", which can lead to positive outcomes for individuals.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Specifically, individuals with a high level of psychological capital possess additional resources to handle current tasks, anticipate positive results, and remain positive in the face of setbacks. Studies have demonstrated that psychological capital positively impacts mental health.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Specifically, psychological capital is positively associated with individual satisfaction and happiness while being negatively linked to psychological issues such as depression and burnout. Furthermore, studies have shown a correlation between stress and psychological capital.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Specifically, high levels of stress are associated with a reduction in psychological capital. According to the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, people generally strive to actively maintain, protect, and build valuable resources.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e However, resource-poor individuals often must allocate their limited resources to relieve stress, which often exceeds their capacity. This can lead to accelerated resource depletion, trapping them in a vicious loss cycle. More importantly, based on the stress, resources, and adaptation paradigm, some researchers have found that psychological capital mediates between environmental variables and individual work performance and mental health. For instance, studies have demonstrated that employees' perceptions of organizational support can influence job burnout through psychological capital.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSimilarly, Kwag et al. (2011) and Shen et al. (2014) found that psychological capital served as a mediating factor in the relationship between occupational stress and depression among college teachers.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Riolli et al. (2012) further demonstrated that college students' psychological capital mediated their stress and happiness.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Therefore, previous studies have suggested that psychological capital acts as a mediator in the relationship between life stress and the mental health of college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo better understand the role of psychological capital, researchers have categorized it into two main components: core psychological capital and potential psychological capital.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Core psychological capital is a core psychological factor that promotes individual growth and performance, mainly including self-confidence, hope, optimism, and resilience. Potential psychological capital arises from the delayed economic benefits of positive psychological qualities and positive psychological states, including emotional intelligence, immersion, intelligence, and sincerity. Although previous studies have examined the relationship between psychological capital and stress and individual performance, they have primarily focused on the role of core psychological capital. However, the role of potential psychological capital and distinct types of psychological capital require attention. By exploring the role of core and potential psychological capital, we can better understand the mechanisms behind psychological capital's influence on individual performance. In particular, in the post-epidemic era, it is valuable to explore the role of different psychological capital in the life stress and mental health of Chinese college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the above discussion, this study integrates life stress, different kinds of psychological capital, and mental health into a theoretical framework, intends to systematically investigate the impact of life stress on the mental health of college students, and further explore the mediating role of different kinds of psychological capital on this basis.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Participants\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe recruited 1550 college students from Lanzhou, Xi'an, China, to participate in the study, and 1497 valid questionnaires were obtained by eliminating invalid questionnaires, with an effective recovery rate of 97%. More specifically, 614 (41%) males and 883 (59%) were females. The mean age was 20.42 years, with a standard deviation of 1.63. All subjects voluntarily participated in the study and provided informed consent before completing the questionnaire.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Measures\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2.1 Student-Life Stress Scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eLife stress was assessed using the Student-Life Stress scale developed by Gadzella (1991). This scale encompasses five domains: frustration stimulation, inner conflict, external stress, life changes, and self-imposed, with 51 items. Respondents rated each item on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always), with higher scores indicating higher levels of life stress. The alpha coefficient for this scale was 0.914, indicating its high reliability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2.2 Psychological Capital Scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePsychological capital was assessed using the Chinese psychological capital scale developed by Zheng, Liang, and Yang (2011),\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003einitially compiled by Luthans (1991). The scale comprises 16 items and includes two dimensions: core psychological capital and potential psychological capital. Core psychological capital encompasses confidence, hope, and optimism, while potential psychological capital incorporates intelligence, emotional intelligence, immersion, and sincerity. Respondents used a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (totally unlike me) to 5 (totally like me) to rate each item, with higher scores indicating higher levels of psychological capital. The alpha coefficient for this scale was 0.815, indicating its high reliability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2.3 Mental health scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMental health was assessed using the Chinese version of the Student-Mental Symptom Scale developed by Wang, Wang, and Ma (1991).\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e The scale comprises eleven items and five dimensions: obsessive-compulsive symptoms, fear symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, hostile impulse, and anxiety symptoms. Respondents used a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (none) to 5 (severe) to rate each item, with higher scores indicating worse mental health. The alpha coefficient for this scale was 0.942, indicating its high reliability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Data collection and processing\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSPSS 20.0 was utilized for statistical data processing, while Amos 18.0 and Mplus 6.0 were employed to build a structural equation model and test the mediation effect.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3.1 Test of Standard Method Deviation\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo assess the presence of common method bias, we performed the Harman single-factor test on the data. The results of the unrotated principal component factor analysis revealed 22 factors with characteristic root values greater than 1. The variance explained by the first factor was 16.021%, which is less than the critical standard of 40%. Therefore, we conclude that this study has no common method bias.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e4.1 Correlation analysis among variables\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics and correlation analysis were conducted to explore the relationships between life stress, core psychological capital, potential psychological capital, and mental health. The results revealed significant correlations among all variables (see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics and correlation of each variable (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1497)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eM\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1Life stress\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.38\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.65\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2Core psychological capital\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3.87\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.70\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.501\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3Potential psychological capital\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3.82\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.68\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.437\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.628\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4Mental health\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.89\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.71\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.650\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.569\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.303\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003ctfoot\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003eNote:*\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05, **\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01, **\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tfoot\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e4.2 Mediation effect test\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe structural equation model examined the relationship between life stressors, core psychological capital, potential psychological capital, and mental health. Based on the theoretical hypothesis, life stress was the independent variable; mental health was the dependent variable, and core psychological capital and potential psychological capital were the mediating variables. Two mediation models, M0 (complete mediation model) and M1 (partial mediation model), were established. Each fitting index of the two models met the measurement requirements (see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). A comparison between M0 and M1 revealed that model M0 fitted better and was more concise. The structural equation model is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResults of model fitting index\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eModel\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNPAR\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCMIN\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDF\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eP\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCMIN/DF\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGFI\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFI\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIFI\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCFI\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRMSEA\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eModel 0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e683.607\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e130\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5.259\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.948\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.950\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.959\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.959\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.053\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eModel 1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e681.599\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e129\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5.287\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.946\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.948\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.957\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.957\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.056\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e4.3 Significance test of mediating effect\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bootstrap analysis assessed the mediation effect with repeated sampling of 1000 times. The 95% confidence interval did not overlap with 0, indicating a significant mediation effect. The standardized effect size, effect size, and 95% confidence interval for the mediation effect are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, and all confidence intervals exclude 0. The results support the mediating roles of core psychological capital and potential psychological capital in the relationship between life stressors and mental health.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResults of Bootstrap test for significance of mediation effect\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandardized effect size\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEffect size\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth colspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e95% confidence interval\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLower limit\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpper limit\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLife stressor - Core psychological capital - Mental health\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.601\u0026times;0.672\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.404\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e49.82%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.020\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.185\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLife stressor - Potential psychological capital - psychological symptom\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.653\u0026times;0.623\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.407\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e50.18%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.016\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.145\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTotal effect\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.811\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5 Discussions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study incorporated both types of psychological capital into a mediating model to explore the impact and mediating mechanism of life stress on mental health among Chinese college students in the post-pandemic era. The results showed that in the post-pandemic era, the life stress of Chinese college students ultimately affects their mental health through core psychological capital and potential psychological capital. Therefore, this study has important theoretical significance and implications for college administrators and teachers in improving the mental health of college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study showed that core and potential psychological capital mediate the relationship between college students' life stress and mental health. This finding can be explained using the ERI model\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003eand COR theory\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. The ERI model is the cornerstone for explaining the results. Numerous studies suggest that an imbalance between personal effort and reward and excessive commitment can lead to adverse consequences such as mental problems and decreased job satisfaction.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Stress can result from the dynamic interaction between an individual and their surrounding environment, stemming from an imbalance between their resources or abilities when faced with a stressful situation and those required to address the problem effectively. When facing stress, it is inevitable for college students to draw upon their psychological capital to help them cope actively. Psychological capital encompasses two dimensions: potential and core. Potential psychological capital includes emotional intelligence, immersion, intelligence, and sincerity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen college students encounter stress, their emotional intelligence is crucial in effectively comprehending and appropriately managing their emotions. By doing so, they can foster positive relationships with others and gain access to additional employment-related information and resources, thereby enhancing their capacity to cope with stress effectively. Immersion enables college students to direct their attention more intently and efficiently towards task completion, thereby mitigating the impact of stress. Intelligence facilitates a deeper understanding and practical problem-solving, paving the way for improved coping strategies. With sincerity, students can establish and maintain genuine and healthy relationships, augmenting their social support, fostering a sense of belonging, and bolstering their resilience to stress. Core psychological capital comprises self-efficacy, optimism, and hope. When confronted with stress, college students with high self-efficacy exhibit greater confidence and are better equipped to handle challenges and pressures. They adopt a positive mindset, actively seek solutions to problems, and persistently pursue their goals. Optimistic college students often perceive opportunities and potential beyond difficulties and challenges, which fuels their motivation to cope with stress. College students endowed with hope establish clear objectives and take tangible actions towards their fulfilment. Even in the face of adversity and setbacks, they persevere and tackle problems head-on. Consequently, when confronted with stress, an individual's core and potential capital can align with the abilities or resources required in stressful situations, thereby mitigating the detrimental impact of stress on college students' mental health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the COR theory offers a compelling framework for interpreting the results of this study. According to COR theory, individuals inherently strive to maintain, safeguard, and cultivate valuable resources. However, when stressed, those with limited resources often expel their finite psychological capital. In such instances, their investments and returns are frequently disproportionate, resulting in an accelerated depletion of resources and a descent into the vicious cycle known as the \"loss spiral.\" College students enduring significant life pressures are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. Their prolonged stress response keeps them in a constant state of tension. While they may initially possess ample potential and core psychological capital, these resources are gradually depleted during the protracted coping process. Over time, they may discover that their psychological capital is insufficient to effectively manage stress, leading to a diminished sense of self-efficacy and feelings of inferiority, which, in turn, can adversely impact their mental health and cause setbacks in their academic pursuits, career aspirations, and interpersonal relationships.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur research has important theoretical implications. While extensive research has been conducted on the factors influencing the mental health of college students during the pandemic across various countries, yielding notable insights,\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e][\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003ethe post-pandemic era remains relatively unexplored. Moreover, although the impact of life stress and psychological capital on college student's mental health has been amply studied, the majority of these investigations have concentrated on core psychological capital, overlooking potential psychological capital. Our study, situated within the context of the post-pandemic era, is the inaugural effort to investigate how college students facing life stress leverage diverse types of psychological capital to navigate changes in their mental health. The present study enriches college students' mental health theories, addressing a gap in the literature concerning the stress-mental health nexus and elucidating the mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship. These insights are poised to deepen our understanding of the role of psychological capital in shaping college students' mental health in the post-pandemic era.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom a practical perspective, this study has important implications for parents and educators. Firstly, it underscores the need to bolster the core psychological capital of college students, which is pivotal in shaping their mental health. Parents and educators can play a crucial role by extending support and encouragement, thereby aiding students in fostering self-confidence and adopting positive mindsets to tackle life's stresses. Secondly, the study highlights the importance of nurturing potential psychological capital, which notably influences mental health. In this vein, parents and educators can offer pertinent training and guidance, aiding students in enhancing their emotional intelligence and psychological resilience. Thirdly, it is imperative to enhance educational strategies. By leveraging the insights derived from this research, educators can refine their approaches and foster the development of positive psychological attributes among students. The self-confidence and psychological resilience of college students can be developed through personalized support and guidance tailored to the unique characteristics of individual students, aimed at bolstering their self-confidence and psychological resilience.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur research also has some limitations. Firstly, the variables used in this study were self-reported questionnaires, which may lead to homogeneity errors. Future research should collect data from multiple sources, such as professional teachers and head teachers, to improve the objectivity of the data. In addition, under different sources of stress, different psychological capital may play different roles. Future research can examine the role of different psychological capital in different sources of stress, such as academic pressure and life stress.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study has received approval from Shangluo University ethics committee. The research primarily employs a questionnaire survey to collect basic data from participants. All participants were informed about the purpose and process of the study, and voluntarily agreed to participate. Written consent was obtained from each participant before the survey. We will strictly maintain the confidentiality of all data, which will only be accessible to members of the research team. Furthermore, each participant\u0026apos;s personal information will be de-identified to protect their privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data from this study are publicly available and the corresponding author can be contacted if necessary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work was Supported by the key project of the Teacher Development Research Program Project of Shaanxi Teacher Development Research Institute(SJS2022ZD007).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026apos; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eThere are three authors in this article, and the tasks are arranged as follows \u0026ldquo;Conceptualization, Xianhua.Y. and Shen.S..; methodology, Shen.S.;investigation, Xianhua.Y.; data curation, Linjie.P.; writing\u0026mdash;original draft preparation, Xianhua.Y.; writing\u0026mdash;review and editing, Linjie.P. and Shen.S.; visualization, Linjie.P.;\u0026rdquo; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten informed consent for publication has been obtained from the participants in this study.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAmanvermez, Y., Rahmadiana, M., Karyotaki, E., De Wit, L., Ebert, D. 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(2011).Research on the prediction model of \u0026quot;dedication input-psychological capital-performance output\u0026quot; for young scientific and technological talents--Based on the empirical analysis of the quality evaluation of young scientific and technological talents in BG enterprises.Psychological Research.4(01),55-62.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Life stress, mental health, the post-epidemic era, core psychological capital, potential psychological capital","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3845590/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3845590/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAlthough the threat of COVID-19 has dramatically diminished, its far-reaching impact on college students cannot be ignored. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of how life stress affects the mental health of college students in the post-epidemic era and the underlying mechanism, this study measured the life stress, core psychological capital, potential psychological capital, and mental health of 1497 college students in western China. The results show that life stress is essential in predicting college students' mental health; the core psychological capital and potential psychological capital mediated the relationship between life stress and mental health. These findings enrich the stress theory and reveal the mechanisms by which life stress hurts the mental health of college students, filling a gap in the previous literature. In practical application, this study provides important implications for school administrators to take adequate measures to improve college students' mental health.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Life stress and mental health of Chinese college students in the post-epidemic era: the multiple mediating effects of core and potential psychological capital","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-01-24 16:18:22","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3845590/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"636c20d5-740b-4c29-a4db-82abe801a83a","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 24th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-07-13T06:55:59+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-01-24 16:18:22","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-3845590","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-3845590","identity":"rs-3845590","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}