Longitudinal Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Anxiety in College Students: The Mediating Effect of Emotion Reregulation Strategy and Moderating Effect of Parent-Child Relationship

Abstract

Objective

Based on Conservation of resources theory, process model of emotion regulation and attachment theory, the present study examined how psychological capital affects anxiety through the mediation of emotion regulation strategies and explored the moderating role of parent-child relationship.

Methods

Using a longitudinal study method, 962 college students were surveyed twice at one-year intervals.

Results

(1) College students’ emotion regulation strategies (including cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) partially mediated psychological capital and anxiety mood; (2) parent-child relationship moderated the pathways of psychological capital and expressive suppression on anxiety, respectively.

Conclusion

College students with higher levels of parent-child relationship had stronger predictive effects of psychological capital and weaker predictive effects of expressive suppression on anxiety mood. The research findings clarify the combined effects of emotion regulation and parent-child relationships on anxiety among college students, providing valuable reference for the design and implementation of interventions to promote individual psychological well-being.

Keywords:

• psychological capital
• emotion regulation strategies
• anxiety
• parent-child relationship

Data Sharing Statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available if request.

IRB Number of the Ethical Committee

The questionnaire and methodology for this study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Human Research Ethics committee of the Kunming Medical University (Ethics approval number: YNJS-20220630-021), Written informed consent for publication was obtained from all participants.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Applied Basic Research Foundation of Yunnan Province (CN) (202101AY070001-224) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (CN) (82160269).