How Important Are Optimism and Coping Strategies for Mental Health? Effect in Reducing Depression in Young People.

Palacios-Delgado, Jorge; Acosta-Beltrán, Delia Brenda; Acevedo-Ibarra, Jessica Noemí

Depression is one of the most common disorders worldwide, including in Mexico. Engagement coping and optimism promote mental health, so understanding the mediation of optimism between coping strategies with depression helps to identify the psychological resources that young people can use to mitigate depression. This study aims to test the direct and indirect effects of four coping strategies through three optimism factors on affective depression in a mediator path model in young people. In a cross-sectional study, 848 young Mexican people completed the evaluation instruments of the Trait Depression Inventory, Mexican Optimism Scale (MOS), and Coping Strategies (CSI-SF). Moderate mediation analysis was performed. Optimism and coping strategies significantly predict depression. Furthermore, optimism mediated the association between problem-focused engagement coping and depressive symptoms. Problem- and emotion-focused coping and optimism protect young people from depression. Likewise, young people with greater optimism use problem-focused engagement coping, which reduces depressive symptoms. Psychosocial interventions that promote positive outlook, affective resources, and hope combined with engagement coping strategies are suggested for the management of depression.

MEXICO; PREVENTION of mental depression; CROSS-sectional method; PEARSON correlation (Statistics); OPTIMISM; MENTAL health; SCIENTIFIC observation; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation in adolescence; CONFIDENCE intervals; DATA analysis software; ADOLESCENCE

Psychiatry International, 2024, Vol 5, Issue 3, p532

2673-5318

Academic Journal

10.3390/psychiatryint5030038