The Relationships between Emotion, Sense of Coherence, Social Rhythm and Positive Mental Health in Chinese University Students during COVID-19

Abstract

Aim: This study explored positive mental health during the COVID-19 epidemic control period and further examined emotion, sense of coherence, social rhythm may contribute to positive mental health among a sample of 521 university students in China. Method: The questionnaires contained items concerning demographic information, Positive Mental Health Scale, Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, Sense of Coherence Scale and Brief Social Rhythm Scale. Results: Analysis of the data showed that positive mental health was significantly positively correlated with positive affect and sense of coherence, but negatively correlated with negative affect and social rhythm. Regression analysis also showed that positive affect, negative affect, sense of coherence, and social rhythm could predict the level of positive mental health of individuals in the context of COVID-19 epidemic control management in Chinese university students. Conclusions: Results suggest it is of great significance to keep positive affect, sense of coherence and regular social rhythm for maintaining the mental health of individuals under the influence of the spread of COVID-19. It would be useful to carefully measure each of these variables and investigate other potential factors related to positive mental health with the possibility that emotion, sense of coherence and social rhythm are mediating variables.