The promotive effects of peer support and active coping in relation to negative life events and depression in Chinese adolescents at boarding schools

Abstract

Mental health issues among Chinese adolescents in boarding schools have attracted the attention of researchers in recent years. Our study was to examine the relationship between negative life events and depression experienced by Chinese adolescents at boarding schools, and to study whether peer support and active coping would moderate the relationship between negative life events and depression. Questionnaires were administered in 2015 to a sample of 521 boarding school students (51.1% females) in two counties in Jiangxi Province, central China. The mean age of the sample was 13.47 years (SD = 1.04). The Adolescent Negative Life Event Scale, Peer Support Scale, Simple Active Coping Style Scale, and Children Depression Scale were used for data collection. Latent moderation structural equation (LMS) method was used to test the moderating effect of peer support and active coping on depression. Negative life events were related with more depression among boarding school students. Peer support had a negative effect on depression and active coping moderated the association between negative life events and depression. Peer support and active coping are important to relieve the adverse consequences of negative life events among boarding school students. School mental health practice that focuses on these factors may be helpful for boarding school students.