Search

Background: This study examined the role of anxiety and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) burnout in the relationship between coronavirus stress and overeating among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Chinese college students (N = 2926; Mage = 19.90, SD = 1.47, range = 18–25 years old; 54.34% female) completed self-reported online questionnaires regarding coronavirus stress, anxiety, COVID-19 burnout, and overeating. Results: Anxiety showed partially indirect effect on the association between coronavirus stress and overeating. COVID-19 burnout exacerbated the indirect pathway between coronavirus stress and overeating via anxiety. Discussion and conclusion: This is the first study, to our knowledge, that examines the underlying mechanisms of the coronavirus stress and overeating behavior association among Chinese college students. The results support several existing theories on stress and problematic eating behaviors and provide practical implications for prevention and intervention programs of overeating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plain English summary: One's response is not arbitrary when confronted with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Previous research has found that individuals with coronavirus stress still be more prone to overeat. We also know from other research that anxiety is the most salient aspect of overeating. However, no research has investigated whether the coronavirus stress of college students is significantly associated with overeating and examine the potential indirect pathway and moderating mechanisms in this association. With the aid of 2926 participants, we found that, coronavirus stress was linked to college students' overeating. We also found that this relationship was partially explained by anxiety. In addition, the association between anxiety and overeating was stronger for those with higher COVID-19 burnout. This study is an important step in unpacking how coronavirus stress relates to overeating of Chinese college students. However, they are limited by the cross-sectional nature of the study, meaning we cannot imply causality. We recommend that further research replicate our findings in people with diagnosed feeding and eating disorders using a longitudinal design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined the mediating effect of sense of control and the moderating effect of coronavirus stress on the relationship between life history strategy and overeating among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 period. Methods: 3310 Chinese students (Mage = 19.74, SD = 1.50; 47% males) completed self-reported questionnaires regarding life history strategy, sense of control, overeating, and coronavirus stress. The data were analyzed using Pearson's r correlations and moderated mediation analysis. Results: The results revealed that control sense mediated the link between life history strategy and college students' overeating. College students' coronavirus stress moderated the associations between life history strategy and college students' sense of control and between control sense and overeating. The association between life history strategy and sense of control was stronger for those with lower coronavirus stress, and the association between sense of control and overeating was stronger for those with lower coronavirus stress. Conclusions: This study identified that the critical factors were associated with overeating. On the one hand, the research deepens the application and interpretation of life history theory in the field of eating; on the other hand, it provides evidence for the prevention of overeating, and provides theoretical basis for psychological assistance among Chinese college students. Plain English summary: One's response is not arbitrary when confronted with COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research has found that individuals with fast life history strategies still be more prone to overeat. We also know from other research that sense of control is the most salient aspect of overeating. However, no research has investigated whether the life history strategy of college students is significantly associated with overeating and examine the potential mediating and moderating mechanisms in this association. With the aid of 3310 participants, we found that, life history strategy was linked to college students' overeating. We also found that this relationship was partially explained by sense of control. In addition, the association between life history strategy and sense of control was stronger for those with lower coronavirus stress, and the association between sense of control and overeating was stronger for those with lower coronavirus stress. This study is an important step in unpacking how life history strategy relates to overeating in Chinese college students. However, they are limited by the cross-sectional nature of the study, meaning we cannot imply causality. We recommend that further research replicate our findings in people with diagnosed eating disorders using a longitudinal design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alexithymia is associated with adverse developmental outcomes. However, this concept has been criticized for being heavily influenced by Western norms of emotional expression and for potentially pathologizing people from different cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, the widely employed variable-centered study approaches hinder research understanding of real-world alexithymia profiles. Using a person-centered approach, the current study investigated the alexithymia profiles among Chinese college students and tested the profiles' relations with childhood adversity and COVID-19 burnout. Four latent alexithymia profiles were identified. The High I profile (particular difficulty identifying feelings) emerged as a risk profile for childhood adversity and COVID-19 burnout. Our findings illustrate the heterogeneity of the alexithymia construct and represent a significant step toward expanding cross-cultural understanding of alexithymia profiles and their associations with related psychological constructs. When dealing with childhood adversity and COVID-19 burnout, health care programs should consider a specific alexithymia profile defined by difficulty identifying feelings. • Using a person-centered study method, this study revealed four latent alexithymia profiles among Chinese college students. • The High I profile (difficulty identifying feelings) emerged as a risk profile for childhood adversity. • The High I profile was also the risk profile for COVID-19 burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the mediating effect of regulatory emotional self-efficacy and the moderating effect of meaning in life on the relationship between social anxiety and subjective well-being among Chinese college students. Nine hundred and eight Chinese students (M age = 20.14, SD = 1.71; 49% males) completed self-reported questionnaires regarding social anxiety, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, meaning in life, and subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to determine the relation between social anxiety and subjective well-being and the moderated mediation model. The results revealed that regulatory emotional self-efficacy fully mediated the link between social anxiety and college students' subjective well-being. College students' meaning in life moderated the associations between social anxiety and college students' regulatory emotional self-efficacy and between regulatory emotional self-efficacy and subjective well-being. Particularly, the link between social anxiety and regulatory emotional self-efficacy was only significant for those with lower meaning in life. The association between regulatory emotional self-efficacy and subjective well-being was more robust for those with higher meaning in life. This study identified the critical factors associated with subjective well-being; it supplies empirical support for existing theories and provides practical implications for interventions aiming to improve Chinese college students' subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]