Association between psychological capital and depressive symptoms during COVID-19: The mediating role of perceived social support and the moderating effect of employment pressure

Abstract

IntroductionThe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affects individuals' mental health that can result in fear of getting COVID-19 infection and depression. Prior research has demonstrated that both psychological capital and perceived social support are related to the severity of depression. Yet no study explored the direction of associations between these factors. This undermines the validity of psychological capital as a basis for health interventions.MethodsThis study aimed to explore the association between psychological capital, perceived social support, employment pressure, and depressive symptoms during COVID-19. A cross-sectional design was employed in a sample of 708 Chinese senior medical students who were asked to complete an online questionnaire survey.ResultsResults indicated that psychological capital negatively predicts depressive symptoms (β = −0.55, p < 0.001); perceived social support plays a mediating role in the impact of psychological capital on depressive symptoms (indirect = −0.11, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001, 95%CI [−0.16, −0.07]), and these associations were moderated by employment pressure. Medical students with high employment pressure, the negative impact of psychological capital on depressive symptoms was statistically significant (β = −0.37, SE = 0.05, p < 0.001, 95% CI [−0.046, −0.27]); when the perceived employment pressure was low, the negative effect of psychological capital on depressive symptoms, although significant, was stronger (β = −0.49, SE = 0.04, p < 0.001, 95% CI [−0.57, −0.40]).DiscussionThe current study highlights that it is of great significance to address Chinese medical students' employment pressure and improve their mental health during the COVID-19 epidemic.

The relationship between medical staff burnout and subjective wellbeing: the chain mediating role of psychological capital and perceived social support

“…Positive emotions can lead individuals to a growth trajectory, enabling them to identify and build their resources, and these resources are enduring (87). As an inherent positive psychological resource within individuals, multiple studies (95,96) have confirmed that individuals with high levels of PsyCap generally perceive more prominent material and emotional support between family members and peers, which provides support for the build hypothesis in the broaden-and-build theory. Furthermore, the burnout experienced by medical staff can lead to a decrease in positive psychological resources such as low hope levels and low self-efficacy.…”

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“…Several subsequent studies have further reinforced these findings by showcasing the beneficial relationship between PsyCap and a wide array of outcomes, including creative and innovative performance, job role effectiveness, productivity, career advancement, work engagement, happiness, reduced absenteeism, and sustained job satisfaction ( Avey et al, 2008 ; Peterson et al, 2011 ; Rego et al, 2012 ; Luthans et al, 2013 ; Bouckenooghe et al, 2015 ; Huang and Luthans, 2015 ; Williams et al, 2015 ; Youssef-Morgan and Luthans, 2015 ; Baykal and Zehir, 2018 ; Du Plessis and Boshoff, 2018 ; Järlström et al, 2020 ; Karakitapoğlu-Aygün et al, 2020 ; Özsungur, 2020 ). Additionally, studies have demonstrated PsyCap’s negative association with turnover intention, stress, and depressive symptoms ( Avey et al, 2009 ; Huang et al, 2023 ). Further exploration into PsyCap’s influence has uncovered its role as both a mediator and a moderator in various organizational contexts.…”

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“…Positive emotions can lead individuals to a growth trajectory, enabling them to identify and build their resources, and these resources are enduring (87). As an inherent positive psychological resource within individuals, multiple studies (95,96) have confirmed that individuals with high levels of PsyCap generally perceive more prominent material and emotional support between family members and peers, which provides support for the build hypothesis in the broaden-and-build theory. Furthermore, the burnout experienced by medical staff can lead to a decrease in positive psychological resources such as low hope levels and low self-efficacy.…”