Yan Zhang,1 Zhe Yang,2 Shengjun Wu1 

1Department of Military Medical Psychology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, 710032, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, 710032, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Shengjun Wu, Department of Military Medical Psychology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Changle West Road No. 169, Xi’an, 710032, People’s Republic of China, Email wushj@fmmu.edu.cn Zhe Yang, Department of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, The Fourth Military Medical University, Changle West Road No. 169, Xi’an, 710032, People’s Republic of China, Email doudou05@fmmu.edu.cn

Purpose: Depression is one of the significant factors affecting the mental health of military college students. This study aims to explore the influencing mechanisms of depression in military college students.
Methods: This study employed a convenience sampling method to recruit 813 participants and collected data through online questionnaires administered via Wenjuanwang. The questionnaires comprised sections on demographic information, character strengths, positive affect, satisfaction with life, and depression scales. For data analysis, t-tests were conducted for intergroup comparisons, and Pearson’s correlation analysis was utilized to evaluate the relationships between variables, and regression analysis combined with structural equation modeling was applied to investigate the chain mediating effects.
Results: Character strengths negatively predict depression among military academy students, with a mediating effect of − 0.169 (95% CI: − 0.323 to − 0.050). Life satisfaction partially mediates this relationship (mediating effect: − 0.074, 95% CI: − 0.323 to − 0.050). Positive emotions do not significantly mediate this relationship (β = − 0.045, 95% CI: − 0.154 to 0.057). Character strengths also indirectly influence depression via the sequential mediation of positive emotions and life satisfaction (mediating effect: − 0.163, 95% CI: − 0.398 to − 0.199, p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Educators in military college may consider designing comprehensive intervention programs to cultivate character strengths, which could potentially enhance positive emotions and life satisfaction, and possibly prevent depression or reduce its level.

Keywords: character strengths, positive emotions, depression, life satisfaction, military college students