A Moderated Mediation Approach to Risk Factors for First-Year University Students’ Stress-Related Anxiety and Depression

High levels of stress and mental health issues are significant concerns among first-year university students. However, the factors contributing to why some students successfully navigate their first year while others struggle with anxiety and depression have received limited attention. To address this gap, this thesis adopts a moderated mediation approach to identify specific resilience and risk factors associated with stress-related anxiety and depression in first-year students. Specifically, it explores the influence of personality traits, sleep quality, and
neurocognitive factors in shaping these outcomes.

Study 1 brings clarity to the existing inconsistencies in the literature regarding the roles of trait and state anxiety in the stress-depression relationship by identifying trait anxiety as a moderator in the relationship between undergraduate-specific life stressors and depression mediated by state anxiety.

Building on these insights, Studies 2 to 4 were the first to identify high trait anhedonia, poor sleep quality, and high cognitive flexibility—along with concurrent high sustained attention and poor inhibitory control—as risk factors in first-year students’ stress-related state anxiety and depression. By identifying and elucidating these risk factors, this research provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the interplay between various psychological and cognitive factors in students' mental health during the crucial first year of university.

Given the empirical evidence generated, universities must improve and develop mental health strategies that effectively detect and support students exhibiting these risk factors. By implementing intervention techniques that target stress reduction, anxiety alleviation, and anhedonia mitigation, while simultaneously promoting sleep quality and enhancing inhibitory control, universities can offer a holistic approach to support vulnerable students. These strategies hold immense potential in fostering better mental health outcomes and enhancing academic success and overall well-being, both during students' university years and as they transition into adult life.

This thesis contributes significantly to the existing body of knowledge by illuminating specific resilience and risk factors that influence stress-related anxiety and depression in firstyear university students. Bridging the gap between research and practice provides a foundation for universities to build effective mental health support systems tailored to the unique needs of their students. By addressing these challenges proactively, universities can foster an environment that prioritizes the well-being of their students and empowers them to thrive academically and personally throughout their university journey and beyond.