The Chain-Mediation Pathway of Social Avoidance to Depression in College Students Is Regulated by Self-Esteem

ObjectiveHere, we investigated the relationship between social avoidance and depression in college students, explored the mediating roles of loneliness and trust, and the regulatory role of self-esteem, to provide a theoretical intervention approach based on internal mechanisms. MethodsUsing a simple random overall sampling method, 1,021 college students were investigated using self-rating depression, social avoidance and distress, loneliness, interpersonal trust and self-esteem scales. ResultsThere was a significant positive correlation between social avoidance and depression. Loneliness and interpersonal trust played chain-mediating roles between social avoidance and depression. The influence of social avoidance on interpersonal trust was regulated by self-esteem. Specifically, the social avoidance level of the low self-esteem group was more likely to be affected by interpersonal trust issues. ConclusionSocial avoidance not only directly affects college students' depression, it also has indirect effects through interpersonal trust and loneliness. Thus, interpersonal trust and loneliness have chain-mediating effects between social avoidance and depression in college students, and self-esteem regulates the mediation process.

Automated summary

In this study, we investigated the relationship between social avoidance and depression in college students, and found that loneliness and trust played mediating roles between social avoidance and depression. We also discovered that self-esteem regulated this mediation process.