Longitudinal Effects of Academic Performance on Depression and Subjective Well-Being Among Students in China's Elite...

During the critical life transition of higher education, academic performance and mental health are two key factors that influence college students' personal growth and future career development. Notably, there is ongoing debate regarding whether a bidirectional relationship exists between academic performance and mental health, and existing research lacks longitudinal evidence from students in China's elite universities. As key indicators of mental health, the dynamic relationship between depression, subjective well-being, and academic performance warrants further investigation. This study utilizes data from two waves of the Beijing College Students Panel Survey, a large-scale longitudinal study of university students in Beijing that was launched in 2009. Using a sample of 874 students from five elite universities in Beijing, China, the study employed a cross-lagged model to examine the longitudinal bidirectional relationship between depression, subjective well-being and academic performance. The results show that academic performance is negatively correlated with depression and positively correlated with subjective well-being. Cross-lagged analysis further indicates that prior academic performance can predict subsequent depression (β = -0.066, p < 0.1) and subjective well-being (β = 0.082, p < 0.05), but there is insufficient evidence for the reverse predictive relationship (p > 0.1). These findings suggest that, for students in China's elite universities, academic performance is a significant antecedent of subsequent mental health status. The conclusions emphasize the importance of enhancing academic support in elite universities to promote mental health and provide empirical evidence for constructing a collaborative support system that integrates academic and psychological aspects, as well as health communication strategies for behavioral change.