Impulsivity and social support as intervening and interactive variables in the link between childhood socioeconomic status and mental health among first-year college students
Abstract
Background: Significant attention has been given to the mental health of college students, especially first-year college students, with childhood socioeconomic status (SES) identified as a key factor. This study investigated the correlation of impulsivity and social support in the relationship between childhood SES and current mental health, with a focus on depressive and anxiety symptoms, in first-year college students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed, surveying 6,378 first-year students (mean age = 20.98) at a university in Chongqing, China. The survey participants were 63.4% female and 36.6% male. The participants completed an online questionnaire which included Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Brief Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and a 7-point scale to measure childhood SES. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were conducted for these variables, and the data examined further using a moderated conditional effect model with PROCESS macro (Model 8). Results: The analysis revealed that lower childhood SES showed small to moderate negative correlations with impulsivity (r = -0.224, p < 0.01, small effect) and heightened symptoms of depression (β = -0.235, p < 0.01) and anxiety (β = -0.197, p < 0.01). Impulsivity shared variance with the link between childhood SES and both depressive (β = 0.386, SE = 0.011, p < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.315, SE = 0.012, p <…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.
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