Daily hassles and depressive symptoms among COVID-19 home quarantined Chinese university students: The moderating effects of negative cognitive styles

Abstract

The current study examined the potential moderating effects of negative cognitive styles on the relationship between daily hassles and depressive symptoms among COVID-19 home quarantined university students. A total of 686 university students ranging in age from 16 to 23 years old (M = 19.04 years, SD = 1.06 years) participated in the study. At the time of the study, they had six months’ experience of COVID-19. The participants completed measures assessing daily hassles, cognitive styles, and depressive symptoms. Moderation analysis showed high levels of negative cognitive styles coping with daily hassles following the COVID-19 outbreak were associated with greater increases in depressed affect and anhedonia symptoms, but not somatic symptoms and interpersonal concerns. We conclude that negative cognitive styles influence vulnerability to depressive symptoms from daily hassles with home quarantine during the COVID-19 outbreak.