Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
Published on: May 4, 2020
Psychological Flexibility Moderates the Association Between Multidimensional Stress and Psychological Distress in
Yuan Lai1,2, Yu Gu3, Yanqi Chen4
1Graduate School, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
Abstract:
The mental health issues of medical postgraduate students are increasingly prominent, and it is urgently necessary to explore the stressors and protective factors. This study adopted an integrative approach to examine the moderating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between multiple types of life stress and mental health. A total of 5819 medical postgraduate students from a medical university and its affiliated hospitals in Beijing were surveyed in a multi-center cross-sectional study. Measures included psychological worry, supervisory relationship, work-life balance, school support, psychological flexibility, and psychological health. The results showed that all four types of stressors were significantly associated with mental health. Psychological worry was positively associated with psychological distress, while the other three variables were negatively associated with it. Psychological flexibility was negatively associated with psychological distress and the relationship between each stressor and psychological health was weaker with higher levels of psychological flexibility. These findings highlight the heterogeneity in the pathways by which different stressors affect psychological health, underscore the critical role of psychological flexibility in coping with internally generated cognitive stress, and provide theoretical and practical implications for psychological interventions among medical postgraduates.
Related Concept Videos
Psychological Responses to Stress
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques II
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as...
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing stress and promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise strengthens the heart, enhances blood flow, keeps blood vessels flexible, and helps lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the body's stress response. Research shows that adults who exercise regularly have nearly half the...

