Amidst epidemics, the necessity to avoid close interactions to reduce the risk of infection has led to social isolation, aggravating interpersonal challenges. Within this context, the significance of social satisfaction has emerged as a pivotal element in pandemic management, closely linked to negative emotional states. Medical students, a distinct subset of learners, bear the weight of intensified academic demands and heightened stress. Their exposure to epidemic-related information elevates their vulnerability to negative emotions like anxiety and depression. Hence, delving into the intricate dynamics of interpersonal relationships, epidemic awareness, social satisfaction, and negative emotions among medical students during outbreaks is imperative to uplift mental well-being in the post-epidemic landscape.
This study encompassed a total of 1,451 university students. Employing self-administered questionnaires that included the Comprehensive Interpersonal Relationship Diagnostic Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Self-Rating Depression Scale, structural equations were formulated to scrutinize the mediating effects of social satisfaction. The research adopted a multi-stage whole-group sampling technique to encompass a diverse spectrum of university students.
Interpersonal relationships and epidemic awareness exhibited a direct positive correlation with levels of negative emotions. Intriguingly, interpersonal relationships showcased a negative correlation with social satisfaction, whereas epidemic awareness displayed a positive association with social satisfaction. Moreover, social satisfaction demonstrated a negative correlation with negative emotions. Remarkably, both interpersonal relationships and epidemic awareness indirectly influenced negative emotions through the intermediary effect of social satisfaction.
Social satisfaction serves as a pivotal mediator in the interplay between interpersonal relationships, epidemic awareness, and negative emotions. In the post-epidemic era, amplifying support networks from family, educational institutions, and society at large becomes crucial to augment the social satisfaction of medical students. Swift identification of negative emotional states holds paramount importance, necessitating the formulation of targeted strategies to address mental health concerns among medical students.
