Undergraduate students with shame are more likely to experience suicidal ideation, but there remains a lack of research investigating the factors underlying this relationship. The interpersonal theory of suicide posits that suicidal ideation is influenced by the simultaneous presence of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. We examined the prevalence of suicidal ideation among undergraduate students in China and examined the association between shame and suicidal ideation mediated by perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. A survey was conducted in July 2018 involving 2320 undergraduate students, and the twelve-month prevalence of suicidal ideation was 8.95%. Shame played a crucial role in predicting suicidal ideation, and the mediating effects of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness between shame and suicidal ideation were significant. Suicidal ideation is common among undergraduate students in China and merits greater attention. Shame, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness may be important factors to assess among undergraduate students in suicide risk assessment and psychological intervention.

Introduction: Studies have shown that the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to long-term health problems; therefore, more attention should be paid to the mental health of university students. This study aimed to explore the longitudinal effects of preventive behaviors and psychological resilience on the mental health of Chinese college students during COVID-19.Methods: We recruited 2,948 university students from five universities in Shandong Province. We used a generalized estimating equation (GEE) model to estimate the impact of preventive behaviors and psychological resilience on mental health.Results: In the follow-up survey, the prevalence of anxiety (44.8% at T1 vs 41.2% at T2) and stress (23.0% at T1 vs 19.6% at T2) decreased over time, whereas the prevalence of depression (35.2% at T1 vs 36.9% at T2) increased significantly (P < 0.001). Senior students were more likely to report depression (OR = 1.710, P < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 0.815, P = 0.019), and stress (OR = 1.385, P = 0.011). Among all majors, medical students were most likely to report depression (OR = 1.373, P = 0.021), anxiety (OR = 1.310, P = 0.040), and stress (OR = 1.775, P < 0.001). Students who wore a mask outside were less likely to report depression (OR = 0.761, P = 0.027) and anxiety (OR = 0.686, P = 0.002) compared to those who did not wear masks. Students who complied with the standard hand-washing technique were less likely to report depression (OR = 0.628, P < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 0.701, P < 0.001), and stress (OR = 0.638, P < 0.001). Students who maintained a distance of one meter in queues were less likely to report depression (OR = 0.668, P < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 0.634, P < 0.001), and stress (OR = 0.638, P < 0.001). Psychological resilience was a protective factor against depression (OR = 0.973, P < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 0.980, P < 0.001), and stress (OR = 0.976, P < 0.001).Discussion: The prevalence of depression among university students increased at follow-up, while the prevalence of anxiety and stress decreased. Senior students and medical students are vulnerable groups. University students should continue to follow relevant preventive behaviors to protect their mental health. Improving psychological resilience may help maintain and promote university students' mental health.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant shifts in university students’ lives, which could be displayed by social mentality, a psychosocial conception at the individual and social levels. This five-wave longitudinal study aims to evaluate the changing social mentality of university students during the peak and preventive-order phases of the pandemic in China and investigate the trends and differences in social-demographic variables. (2) Methods: The Bi-Dimensional Structure Questionnaire of Social Mentality (B-DSMQ) was used to collect data from March 2020 to January 2021. Five-wave surveys were administered to 1319 students from five universities using online questionnaires. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the changes in social mentality over time and covariate groups. Linear mixed models were used to explore the associations of overall social mentality with time and covariates. Post hoc analysis was implemented within subgroups, including university, major, grade, parenting style, and the harmonious degree of parents. (3) Results: Students’ social mentality changed significantly from Waves 1 to 5 (p < 0.001). It fell to its lowest in the third survey, increased in the fourth survey, and peaked in the fifth survey. In all of the subgroups, the changing social mentality differed significantly over time (p < 0.001). The p-values between groups suggested that changing social mentality was significantly different regarding gender, residence, university, major, grade, student cadre, graduates, nuclear family, economic status, parenting styles, and the harmonious degree of parents’ relationship (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Social mentality among university students decreased during the peak of the pandemic before increasing in the contained-risk period. It was the lowest in June when students began to return to the pandemic-preventive campus from quarantined homes. Students living in provinces (except for Shandong) who were from high-level universities in 2016 and 2017 and who majored in medicine displayed a more negative social mentality. Students who were female, student cadres, non-graduates, and enjoying high socioeconomic status displayed a more positive social mentality. Further research is needed on the relationship between mental health and social mentality, specifically the associates and interventions for positive social mentality.

Background: When COVID-19 emerged in China in late 2019, most Chinese university students were home-quarantined to prevent the spread of the virus, considering the great impact of the lockdown on young people habits and their psychological well-being. This study explored the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its associated factors among Chinese university students who are isolated at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: 4520 participants from five universities in China were surveyed by online questionnaire and the PTSD Checklist—Civilian Version (PCL-C) was adopted as a screening instrument. Results: Exposure to virus was significantly related to PTSD outcomes. The most important predictors for PTSD outcomes were parents’ relationship and the way parents educated, and university-provided psychological counseling was a protective factor against developing PTSD. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic had adverse psychological consequences on Chinese university students who were isolated at home due to the relatively high prevalence rate of PTSD which was reported. Adverse parental relationships and the extreme way parents educate their children could be the major risk factors for PTSD outcomes. Psychological interventions need to be made available to home-quarantined university students, and those in the worst-hit and exposed areas to virus should be given priority focus.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between extracurricular activities, stress, and suicidal ideation and to examine the mediating effect of stress between extracurricular activities and suicidal ideation in Chinese college students. Method: A total of 6446 college students were surveyed with a web-based online data collection system using the self-made demographic questionnaire, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire—Revised (SBQ-R), and the 21-Item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). SPSS 24.0 was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, and the bootstrap method in the process procedure for SPSS Version 3.4.1 was used to construct the mediating effect model. Results: Gender, school grades, living area, and family income status were influencing factors for suicidal ideation, stress, and extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities were negatively correlated with stress (r = −0.083, p < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (r = −0.039, p < 0.01). Extracurricular activities had no direct predictive effect on college students’ suicidal ideation (c = −0.198, CI: −0.418, 0.023), while stress had a mediating effect between extracurricular activities and suicidal ideation; the indirect mediating effect was 0.159. Conclusions: Extracurricular activities indirectly predict college students’ suicidal ideation through stress. A variety of extracurricular activities can decrease the stress and suicidal ideation of college students and benefit their mental health.

Terahertz (THz) waves are characterized by low photon energy, sensitivity to polar molecules, and different spectral responses to many biomolecules, which are of great research and application value in the biomedical field. Metamaterials are very sensitive to changes in the dielectric environment of their surfaces and have great potential in the field of sensing. Aiming at the current needs of terahertz-band biosensors whose sensitivity still needs to be improved, we propose an open-ring resonator biosensor with an asymmetric structure of discontinuous dielectric layers. Simulation results show that the refractive index sensitivity of this discontinuous dielectric layer metamaterial biosensor can reach up to 605 GHz/RIU, it exhibits a figure of merit (FOM) value of 24.2 RIU^-1 and a high quality (Q) factor of 79.8, indicating a high Q factor and an ultra-high sensitivity. These characteristics are significant in the design of terahertz ultra-sensitive biosensors, showcasing their valuable application potential.