Prospective relationships between college adjustment, self-esteem, and mental health status among Chinese undergraduates

Objective: This three-wave longitudinal study tested the prospective relationships between college adjustment, self-esteem, and mental health status (ie, subjective well-being, anxiety, and depression). Participants: The study recruited 265 Chinese undergraduate students. Methods: Demographic, college adjustment, self-esteem, and mental health status data were collected. Results: College adjustment and self-esteem were moderate in magnitude and maintained a reasonable stability over time. College adjustment and self-esteem at Year 1 and Year 2, and mental health status at Year 3, were significantly correlated with each other. College adjustment at Year 1 and Year 2, and self-esteem at Year 1 significantly predicted mental health status at Year 3. Conclusions: Interventions to improve self-esteem and college adjustment may benefit long-term mental health outcomes.

Automated summary

This three-wave longitudinal study examined the relationships between college adjustment, self-esteem, and mental health status. The findings suggest that college adjustment and self-esteem have a moderate level of stability and are significantly correlated with mental health status. Furthermore, college adjustment and self-esteem can predict future mental health outcomes. Therefore, interventions targeting self-esteem and college adjustment may have positive effects on long-term mental health.