The status and factors associated with the mental well-being of university students in China: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study explores mental well-being among Chinese university students, finding that positive coping, resilience, and healthy habits like exercise and good sleep are linked to better mental health.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into factors influencing mental well-being among Chinese university students, emphasizing positive coping and health behaviors.

Findings

Task-oriented coping and resilience are positively associated with mental well-being.

Better sleep quality and duration are linked to higher mental well-being.

Regular exercise and avoidance of self-harm behaviors support better mental health.

Abstract

While increasing attention has been given to the mental health challenges faced by university students, there remains a lack of research specifically focused on their positive mental well-being, particularly in the East Asia region. To address this gap, the current study investigates the current status and factors associated with the mental well-being of young people in Fujian, China.

This cross-sectional survey was conducted among students from seven universities in Fujian Province, China. Participants’ mental well-being was assessed using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS). Coping strategies were measured using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), and resilience was assessed using the two-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC2). Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between mental well-being and various personal, familial, health-related, behavioral, and psychosocial variables.

Nearly one-third of respondents could be categorized as having a low level of mental well-being. After adjusting for covariates, task-oriented coping showed a positive association with mental well-being, while avoidance-oriented coping was negatively associated. Resilience was also positively related to mental well-being. Additionally, better sleep quality and longer sleep duration were positively associated with mental well-being, whereas self-harm behavior was negatively associated. Regular exercise was positively associated with mental well-being.

Health behaviors such as regular exercise, better sleep quality and sufficient sleep, as well as psychosocial factors including resilience and positive coping, are identified as important for good mental well-being among university students in China.