Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
J Clin Psychol. 2023 Mar;79(3):748-761. doi: 10.1002/jclp.23439. Epub 2022 Aug 29.
In China, recurrent pandemics require frequent city-wide lockdowns and quarantine actions to contain the impact of COVID-19, exposing college students to psychological problems, including hopelessness. Hence, the purpose of helping problematic college students alleviate hopelessness symptoms motivates us to carry out the present study to explore their interrelationship.
Hopelessness (i.e., a complex phenomenon with important clinical consequences, such as depression and suicidality) was investigated in a large longitudinal sample of college students (N = 2787; 58.59% female; age = 18.34 ± 0.92) who were recruited during and after the COVID-19 lockdown using the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).
Applying the novel approach (i.e., symptom network analysis), the results indicated that the edge of #BHS1 (i.e., [NOT] hope-enthusiasm)-#BHS15 (i.e., [NOT] faith-in-the-future) showed the strongest association both in Wave 1 and Wave 2. Similarly, #BHS20 (i.e., not-trying) had the highest node expectedinfluence (centrality) in the hopelessness symptoms network both among Wave 1 and Wave 2. The Network Comparison Test indicated that the global network strength significantly differed between the two time points. As expected, college students' hopelessness will gradually dissipate with the end of segregation control. The stability and accuracy indicated that the network analysis results were trustworthy.
The study findings provide evidence that central nodes and edges connecting symptoms should be addressed. Further interventions and treatments that may target these symptoms are essential to effectively alleviate the overall hopelessness level among college students. Theoretical and clinical potential consequences were discussed in detail.
在中国，反复出现的大流行需要频繁进行全市范围的封锁和隔离措施来控制 COVID-19 的影响，这使大学生面临心理问题，包括绝望。因此，帮助有问题的大学生减轻绝望症状的目的促使我们开展本研究，以探索它们之间的相互关系。
我们对一个大型的纵向大学生样本（N=2787；58.59%为女性；年龄=18.34±0.92）进行了绝望（即具有重要临床后果的复杂现象，如抑郁和自杀倾向）的调查，这些学生是在 COVID-19 封锁期间和之后使用贝克绝望量表（BHS）招募的。
应用新方法（即症状网络分析），结果表明，在第 1 波和第 2 波中，#BHS1（即[NOT]希望热情）-#BHS15（即[NOT]对未来的信念）之间的边缘的关联最强。同样，在第 1 波和第 2 波中，#BHS20（即不努力）在绝望症状网络中具有最高的节点预期影响力（中心性）。网络比较测试表明，两个时间点之间的整体网络强度存在显著差异。正如预期的那样，随着隔离控制的结束，大学生的绝望情绪将逐渐消散。稳定性和准确性表明，网络分析结果是可信的。
研究结果提供了证据，表明应关注连接症状的中心节点和边缘。进一步的干预和治疗可能针对这些症状，对于有效缓解大学生整体绝望水平至关重要。详细讨论了理论和临床潜在后果。
