Impacts of Stress and Risk Perception on Mental Health of College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Coping Efficacy

OBJECT: In this study, we aimed to explore the influences of pandemic stress, risk perception, and coping efficacy on the mental health of Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of Chinese college students (N = 3,381, M(age) = 20.85, SD(age) = 1.31) took part in an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Correlation coefficients, structural equation modeling, and other statistical analysis methods were used for data analysis. RESULTS: (1) The Chinese college students' pandemic stress and perceived pandemic risk were found to be moderate (3.51 ± 0.83, 3.45 ± 0.94), whereas their perceived infection risk was lower (2.10 ± 0.67). Their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be good (3.80 ± 0.73). (2) The quality of their mental health was significantly and negatively associated with pandemic stress, perceived pandemic risk, and perceived infection risk. The level of their mental health was significantly and positively associated with coping efficacy, and their coping efficacy was significantly and negatively associated with pandemic stress, perceived pandemic risk, and perceived infection risk. CONCLUSION: Coping efficacy played a partial mediating role in the relationship between pandemic stress and mental health, coping efficacy played a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived infection risk and mental health, and coping efficacy played a complete mediating role in the relationship between perceived pandemic risk and mental health. Our findings show the importance of fostering college students' coping efficacy to improve their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.