The impact of COVID-19 risk perception on college students’ subjective well-being as moderated by parenting style

Abstract Questionnaires completed by 589 college students were used to investigate the impact of the risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students’ subjective well-being. The goal was to explore the relationship between college students’ risk perception and subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to analyze the mediating role of emotional regulation and the moderating effect of parenting style. The results showed the following: First, significant negative correlations were found between risk perception and subjective well-being, as well as between the risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic and emotional regulation. Emotional regulation was significantly positively correlated with subjective well-being. Second, emotional regulation played a mediating role between risk perception and subjective well-being. Third, a positive parenting style played a positive moderating role between risk perception and subjective well-being. We thus concluded that COVID-19 risk perception directly reduces subjective well-being and indirectly affects subjective well-being through emotional regulation. A positive parenting style reduces the negative impact of the risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective well-being. This study provides guidance on how to improve college students’ well-being during major public health events.