Longitudinal Associations Between Campus Exclusion, Experiential Avoidance and Depression Among Chinese Adolescents:...

Previous studies have found a significant association between campus exclusion and depression, yet the directionality and underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain unclear. This study examined the longitudinal relationship between campus exclusion and depression, as well as the mediating role of experiential avoidance between the two.

Our study aims to examine the longitudinal reciprocal relationships among these variables using the cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) and random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM). A total of 589 Chinese adolescents (50.9％girls; M_age = 12.82; SD = 0.92) completed self-reported questionnaires containing measurements of studied variables thrice, using 4-month intervals.

The results of CLPM models showed a bidirectional relationship between campus exclusion and depression, and that experiential avoidance was a mediating mechanism for these relationships. The results of RI-CLPM models showed that at the between-person level, the random intercepts of campus exclusion, experiential avoidance, and depression all significantly correlated with each other. At the within-person level, T1 campus exclusion positively predicted T2 experiential avoidance and T2 depression. T1 and T2 experiential avoidance positively predicted T2 and T3 campus exclusion. Moreover, T2 experiential avoidance positively predicted T3 depression, while T2 depression also positively predicted T3 experiential avoidance.

These findings reveal a vicious cycle of mutual influence between campus exclusion, experiential avoidance, and depression, highlighting the significance of distinguishing between-person and within-person effects in order to design prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing the incidence of depression during adolescence.