Mediation and Interaction of Cognitive Reappraisal in the Relationship Between Depression and Social Pain Among...

Previous studies have identified depression as a risk factor for social pain. However, few studies have explored the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, this study employed the four-way decomposition method integrating mediation and interaction effects to investigate the potential role of cognitive reappraisal between depression and social pain.

This study utilized convenience sampling to survey university students from three higher education institutions in Daqing City. Correlation analysis and Linear regression analysis was conducted using SPSS 29.0 to examine the relationships among depression, cognitive reappraisal, and social pain. Four-way decomposition analysis was performed using SAS to investigate the mediation and interaction effects of cognitive reappraisal between depression and social pain.

A total of 773 college students participated in the survey, with females accounting for 74.26% (n=574) and males 25.74% (n=199). Linear regression analyses revealed significant positive associations between depression and social pain (β = 0.30, p < 0.001). Cognitive reappraisal demonstrated negative correlations with both depression (β = -0.20, p < 0.001) and social pain (β = -0.63, p < 0.001). Four-way decomposition analysis revealed that cognitive reappraisal plays a dual role in the relationship between depression and social pain. The total mediation effect accounted for 54.20% of the total effect, while the total interaction effect reached -263.92%, with the eliminable proportion of cognitive reappraisal calculated as -221.43%.

This study elucidates the underlying mechanisms through which depression and cognitive reappraisal influence social pain among college students, providing a novel perspective for improving their mental health.