The Relationship Between Mental Health and Psychosocial Stress of Reservoir Migrants in the Middle Route of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP): The Mediating Role of Social Support

BACKGROUND: South–North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP) migrants were vulnerable to developing mental health problems due to post-migration stresses and lack of social support. However, the evidence on the mental health, psychosocial stress and social support of SNWDP migrants and their interrelationships are limited and inconclusive. We aimed to explore the mechanism of influence of social support on the relationship between mental health and social psychosocial stress of SNWDP migrants. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the data of 983 SNWDP migrants. The mental health status, psychosocial stress and social support of the participants were evaluated by Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Psychosocial Stress Survey for Groups (PSSG) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Multiple stepwise regression model was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Among the 983 individuals, the average SCL-90-R score was 1.47, the PSSG score was 30.50, and the SSRS score was 40.30. The SCL-90-R was positively correlated with PSSG (r=0.483, P<0.001) and negatively correlated with SSRS (r=−0.257, P<0.001), PSSG was negatively correlated with SSRS (r=−0.516, P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that PSSG and SSRS had significant effects on SCL-90-R prediction and that SSRS played a partial intermediary role in SCL-90-R and PSSG (46.87%). CONCLUSION: The SNWDP migrants performed a strong correlation between social support, mental health and psychosocial stress. Social support plays a part role in mediating mental health and psychosocial stress.