Abstract
BACKGROUND: Depression is a significant global health concern, particularly prevalent among college students, and can be exacerbated by negative parenting styles. This study investigates the impact of such parenting on depressive symptoms among college students and explores the mediating role of eating disorders (EDs) and the moderating roles of ethnicity and maladaptive Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies (CERS). METHODS: The longitudinal study was conducted from June to December 2021 and involved 2,993 enrolled students at two Tibetan universities. Data were collected at three time points using validated instruments including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for measuring depressive symptoms, the Short Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran (s-EMBU) for measuring negative parenting styles, the Eating Attitude Test-26 for measuring EDs, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for measuring maladaptive CERS. Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and moderated mediation models, were conducted using SPSS software. RESULTS: The average age of the participants in the study was 19.8 (SD = 1.3) years, with males accounting for 34.4%, Tibetans and other ethnic groups accounting for 56.8%, and urban students accounting for 29.0%. Negative parenting styles were associated with higher levels of EDs and depressive symptoms. A longitudinal moderated mediation model revealed that EDs significantly mediated the relationship between negative parenting styles and depressive symptoms. Additionally, the impact of EDs on depressive symptoms was moderated by maladaptive CERS, where higher levels of these strategies intensified the relationship, while lower levels mitigated it. Ethnicity had no moderating effect on direct and indirect paths. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates that negative parenting styles contribute to depressive symptoms among college students through EDs. Maladaptive CERS amplify the impact of EDs on depressive symptoms, suggesting the importance of addressing these strategies in preventive and therapeutic settings. This research underscores the need for interventions targeting family dynamics and emotional regulation to mitigate depressive symptoms in vulnerable populations.