IDENTIFYING FACTORS INFLUENCING MENTAL HEALTH DEVELOPMENT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN CHINA

Abstract

This study investigated factors considered as having an influence on the psychological adaptation of college students. Some 1,134 students from Wu Han University, Hui Bei province, China, participated in the study with an impressive response rate of 99%. Results of the study indicate that factors such as “parental occupations”, “parental education”, “interest in major”, “body image”, “place raised” and “gender” have a significant correlation with the psychological adaptation of college students in China. Asignificant relationship was found between fathers' education and occupation and college students' levels of anxiety and depression. Also, between the interest in major studied, and place raised, and body image and anxiety and depression. Levels of depression were found to be significantly greater for girls when looking at depression and gender. Though various reasons were given as possible causes for the levels of anxiety and depression among college students, caution must be exercised in interpreting the findings as among other things, selection bias could not be ruled out. Finally, this paper provides an interesting addition to the literature given the few related studies undertaken in China.