Relationship between family function and anxiety among lower-grade college students： the moderating role of emotion regulation strategies
10.11886/scjsws20250903001
- VernacularTitle:家庭功能与低年级大学生焦虑的关系：情绪调节策略的调节作用
- Author:
Rongrong LI
1
;
Liang LIU
2
;
Yuhong YAO
3
;
Shuanglei WU
3
;
Yanbo WANG
3
Author Information
1. Mental Health Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine， Shanghai 200030， China
2. Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders， Shanghai Pudong New Area Mental Health Center，School of Medicine， Tongji University， Shanghai 200124， China
3. Tongji University， Shanghai 200092， China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Family function;
Family cohesion;
Family adaptability;
Anxiety;
Emotion regulation;
Cognitive reappraisal;
Expressive suppression
- From:
Sichuan Mental Health
2026;39(1):70-75
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
BackgroundAnxiety exhibits a rising prevalence among college students. Investigating the mechanisms through which family function relates to anxiety and examining the moderating role of emotion regulation strategies within this context hold substantial implications for promoting mental health among college students. However， existing research has not sufficiently elucidated the complex interplay among family function， emotion regulation， and anxiety among college students. Further research is warranted to clarify the underlying mechanisms linking family function to anxiety outcomes and to examine the potential moderating role of emotion regulation strategies in this causal pathway. ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between family function and anxiety among lower-grade college students， and to validate the moderating role of emotion regulation strategies in this relationship， thereby offering evidence-based insights for anxiety reduction interventions in this population. MethodsIn March 2023， a total of 1 980 first- and second-year students from a comprehensive university in Shanghai were selected using the cluster sampling method. A self-designed demographic questionnaire， the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire （ERQ）， the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale Ⅱ-Chinese Version （FACES Ⅱ-CV）， and the Symptom Checklist-90 （SCL-90） were utilized for assessment. Pearson correlation analysis and Spearman correlation analysis were employed to test the correlations of each variable. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to certify the moderating role of emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between family function and anxiety. ResultsCompared with female students， male students scored significantly lower on ERQ cognitive reappraisal （t=-5.793， P<0.01） but significantly higher on ERQ expressive suppression （t=8.359， P<0.01）. For lower-grade college students， scores on adaptability and cohesion subscales of FACES Ⅱ-CV showed a positive association with cognitive reappraisal in ERQ （r=0.251， 0.302， P<0.01）， while simultaneously displaying negative correlations with both expressive suppression in ERQ （r=-0.113， -0.154， P<0.01） and anxiety in SCL-90 （r=-0.243， -0.202， P<0.01）. Notably， anxiety scores in SCL-90 were inversely related to cognitive reappraisal scores in ERQ （r=-0.159， P<0.01） but directly associated with expressive suppression scores in ERQ （r=0.171， P<0.01）. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that cognitive reappraisal significantly moderated the relationship between family cohesion and anxiety （β=-0.421， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe cognitive reappraisal strategy serves as a moderator in the relationship between family cohesion and anxiety， potentially mitigating the escalation of anxiety levels associated with family dysfunction. ［Funded by Science and Technology Development Fund of Shanghai Pudong New Area （number， PKJ2023-Y21）］
