Ostracism, Psychological Capital, Perceived Social Support and Depression among Economically Disadvantaged Youths: A Moderated Mediation Model

Xianglian Yu, Lin Zhang, Zihong Lin, Zongkui Zhou, Dilana Hazer-Rau, Pinlin Li, Wenlong Ji, Hanbing Zhang and Tong Wu
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Xianglian Yu: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430056, China
Lin Zhang: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430056, China
Zihong Lin: Student Affairs Department, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
Zongkui Zhou: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430056, China
Dilana Hazer-Rau: Section of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89075 Ulm, Germany
Pinlin Li: Department of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
Wenlong Ji: Department of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
Hanbing Zhang: Department of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
Tong Wu: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430056, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Mental health promotion of economically disadvantaged youths is a popular issue in current China. Economically disadvantaged youths are at greater risk of depression. Ostracism may be an important predictor of depression for them. However, no consensus has been reached on the underlying mechanism between ostracism and depression. A total of 1207 economically disadvantaged youths were recruited from six universities in China. These youths were asked to complete questionnaires measuring depression, ostracism, psychological capital, and perceived social support. A moderated mediation model was examined by using IBM SPSS STATISTICS 27macro program PROCESS version 3.5, in which psychological capital was a mediating variable, and perceived social support was a moderating variable. Lack of causal inferences and self-report bias due to the cross-sectional and self-report survey need to be considered when interpreting results. The results revealed that ostracism was positively associated with depression among economically disadvantaged youths. Psychological capital partially mediated the association. Perceived social support moderated the indirect association between ostracism and depression via psychological capital among economically disadvantaged females. Training and intentional practice of psychological capital could be the core to develop the depression interventions targeting economically disadvantaged youths with experience of ostracism. Gender and perceived social support need to be considered in developing the interventions.

Keywords: ostracism; depression; psychological capital; perceived social support; economically disadvantaged youth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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