The Impact of Positive Mindfulness on Mental Health in Middle School Students: The Moderating Role of Gender

Abstract

As they grow older, secondary school students gradually develop and mature in physical aspects, but their psychological development is not yet adequate. At a time of intense social competition, the pressure on students in terms of academics and socializing has also increased substantially. In the context of resumption of schooling after the epidemic, secondary school students may develop anxiety, depression, and other unfavorable conditions for their mental health. It has been shown that Positive Mindfulness is closely related to anxiety, depression, and stress perception. The purpose of this study was to examine the current status and relationship between Positive Mindfulness and mental health, and to explore the moderating role of gender in the relationship between Positive Mindfulness and mental health. A questionnaire was administered to 750 middle school students using the Positive Attention Perception Scale, the Stress Perception Scale, and the subscales of the Psychiatric Symptom Rating Scale. The results showed that: (1) middle school students' levels of anxiety, depression, and perceptual stress differed significantly in gender and grade dimensions, and their levels of Positive Mindfulness did not differ significantly in gender and grade dimensions; (2) middle school students' Positive Mindfulness were significantly negatively correlated with anxiety, depression, and perceptual stress, respectively, and there was a significant positive correlation between anxiety, depression, and perceptual stress; (3) middle school students' Positive Mindfulness could reverse predict anxiety, depression, and perceptual stress, respectively, and could account for 16.3% of their Positive Mindfulness, and 16.3% of their Positive Mindfulness. and were able to account for 16.3%, 20.4%, and 23.2% of the variance, respectively; (4) gender plays a moderating role between Positive Mindfulness and anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. The present study concluded that Positive Mindfulness is closely related to mental health, which suggests that schools, families, and communities can promote positive development and mental health of adolescents through effective Positive Mindfulness training.