Investigation of the Effects of Purpose in Life, Grit, Gratitude, and School Belonging on Mental Distress among Chinese Emerging Adults

Abstract

Given the high prevalence of mental distress indicators, such as depression, among emerging adults, it is imperative to identify not only factors that place them at risk for mental distress, but also those that protect against it. This study tested the direct and indirect effects (via purpose in life) of gratitude, two aspects of grit (i.e., consistency of interest and perseverance of effort), and school belonging on three indicators of mental distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress). A total of 468 Chinese university students (58.3% female), aged 18 to 27, in Macao, China responded to an anonymous questionnaire between April to May, 2016. As expected, all psychosocial factors were negatively associated with all three indicators of mental distress (r = −0.15 to −0.42, p < 0.05), with the exception of perseverance of effort, which had a significant, negative association with depression only. The results of path analysis showed that purpose in life significantly mediated the effect of school belonging and perseverance of effort on depression, whereas school belonging, gratitude, and consistency of interest all had direct effects on all three indicators of mental distress (p < 0.05). Our results also suggested that the two components of grit may have differential effects on mental distress among Chinese emerging adults. School-based programs should consider positive psychology interventions in Chinese populations.

Grit is associated with lower level of depression and anxiety among university students in Chiang Mai, Thailand: A cross-sectional study

“…A recent study among university students in China revealed a negative relationship between one component of grit (consistency of interests) and depression, anxiety and stress. In the same study, however, it was found that perseverance of effort (another component of grit) was associated with depression but not with anxiety and stress [30]. Similarly, another recent study using path analysis found that grit was negatively associated with depression in a sample of high school students in the Philippines [32].…”

“…Gritty people are likely to be less prone to adverse mental health outcomes, due to their propensity to experience obstacles and failures in a positive way. This relation between grit and mental health outcomes was demonstrated in three recent studies, which have all employed path analysis and have document a negative relationship between grit and mental health outcomes among university students in China [30], college students with a chronic medical condition in the United States [31], and high school students in the Philippines [32]. In the latter study [32], the authors found “meaning of life” to be a mediating factor of this association, and suggested that “gritty” people are likely to be less susceptible to depression, because they are more likely to realize that life is meaningful, and so they tend to focus on maintaining perseverance and passion to achieve their long-term goals, rather than on focusing on negative aspects of life [32].…”

COVID-19 Infection Risk and Depressive Symptoms Among Young Adults During Quarantine: The Moderating Role of Grit and Social Support

“…Grit is conceptualized as passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long-term goals ( Duckworth et al, 2007 ; Duckworth, 2016 ). In recent years, many empirical studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of grit on various psychological functions in individuals (see a meta-analysis by Credé et al, 2017 ), including young Chinese adults ( Zhang et al, 2018 ; Jin et al, 2019 ). Concerning the link between grit and depressive symptoms, Datu et al (2019) have found that it is negatively associated with depressive symptoms in their investigation of the presence of meaning in life among high school students.…”

Uncovering the Moderating Role of Grit and Gender in the Association between Teacher Autonomy Support and Social Competence among Chinese Undergraduate Students

“…Albeit limited, a burgeoning body of research has indicated that gritty individuals often exhibit better adaptive psychosocial functions, such as psychological wellbeing [ 33 , 34 , 35 ], prosocial behavior [ 28 ], personal relationships [ 10 ], and less mental distress [ 36 ]. Indeed, grit is a future-oriented motivation and might induce a sense of hope and determination, which further improves a sense of meaning in individuals’ lives and facilitates their positive interpersonal interactions.…”