{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,15]],"date-time":"2026-06-15T21:41:43Z","timestamp":1781559703443,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772064000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Sichuan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission Science and Technology Project","award":["23LCYJ030"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["23LCYJ030"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100018542","name":"Sichuan Provincial Natural Science Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["2025ZNSFSC0736"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2025ZNSFSC0736"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100018542","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aimed to explore the key predictive factors and underlying theorized mediating pathways of depression among Chinese college students using structural equation modeling (SEM), with the goal of providing empirical evidence to support mental health interventions in higher education.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A longitudinal survey was conducted among undergraduate students from a comprehensive university in Sichuan Province, China. Data were collected at two time points: at enrollment (T1, September\u2013October 2022) and three months later (T2, December 2022\u2013January 2023). Participants were divided into depression and non-depression groups based on Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores. Between-group differences were analyzed using chi-square, t-tests, or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. SEM was employed to examine direct and indirect pathways among childhood trauma, self-esteem, coping styles, internet addiction, perceived stress, and depression.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 880 valid samples were included, with 154 (17.50%) assigned to the depression group. Univariate analysis indicated that sociodemographic factors, family environment, coping style, and internet behavior were significantly associated with depression. SEM results revealed that childhood trauma positively influenced depression both directly and through multiple mediators, including reduced self-esteem, increased negative coping, internet addiction, and elevated perceived stress. Self-esteem and negative coping also exhibited dual pathways affecting depression, with perceived stress serving as a critical mediator.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Depression among college students is influenced by the interaction of early experiences, psychological traits, and behavioral factors. A multi-level intervention strategy-ranging from risk screening and stress management to trauma-informed support-is recommended for university mental health services.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1758715","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T06:56:15Z","timestamp":1772088975000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["A study on predictive factors and mediational pathways of depression among college students in China based on structural equation modeling"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Xiuli","family":"Qing","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Birth and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Le","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Marxism, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2017.04.010","article-title":"Upward counterfactual thinking and depression: a meta-analysis","volume":"55","author":"Broomhall","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clin Psychol Rev"},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"Depression","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref3","first-page":"1106","article-title":"Effects of Naikan cognitive therapy on psychological factors of college students: affective balance, perceived social support, and acceptance of others","volume":"17","author":"Liang","year":"2008","journal-title":"Chin J Behav Med Brain Sci"},{"key":"ref4","volume-title":"Depression and other common mental disorders: global health estimates (report no. 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