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The Role of Emotional Competence in the Association Between Optimism and Depression Among Chinese Adolescents

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  • Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Minmin Gu

    (City University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

Positive psychology is the scientific study of positive emotions, positive thoughts and positive behaviors that serve as protective factors to help people bounce back and recover from stress. Fredrickson’s broaden and build model postulates that positive emotions catalyze upward spirals toward future well-being by broadening people’s positive thoughts and behaviors. This study investigated direct and interactional effects of emotional competence and dispositional optimism on depressive symptoms among a sample of secondary school students in Hong Kong, China. A cross sectional survey design was adopted, and data was collected from 513 adolescents (197 males, 316 females, mean age=13.80) from four secondary schools. Results showed that dispositional optimism and emotional competence were significantly and negatively associated with depressive symptoms. In addition, emotional competence enhanced the protective effects of dispositional optimism on depressive symptoms. Therefore, despite their culture-specific meanings in the Chinese context, dispositional optimism and emotional competence were found to independently and jointly protect Chinese adolescents to offset depression, which lends empirical support to the cross-cultural validity of the two positive psychological constructs and the Broaden and Build model of positive emotions. This study sheds light on promoting a positive psychology model that includes both cognitive and emotional positive psychological factors for depression prevention or early intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok & Minmin Gu, 2017. "The Role of Emotional Competence in the Association Between Optimism and Depression Among Chinese Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(1), pages 171-185, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:10:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s12187-016-9366-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-016-9366-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michele Tugade & Barbara Fredrickson, 2007. "Regulation of Positive Emotions: Emotion Regulation Strategies that Promote Resilience," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 311-333, September.
    2. Estrada, Carlos A. & Isen, Alice M. & Young, Mark J., 1997. "Positive Affect Facilitates Integration of Information and Decreases Anchoring in Reasoning among Physicians," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 117-135, October.
    3. Kahn, Barbara E & Isen, Alice M, 1993. "The Influence of Positive Affect on Variety Seeking among Safe, Enjoyable Products," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 20(2), pages 257-270, September.
    4. Sylvia Lai Kwok & Daniel Shek, 2010. "Personal and Family Correlates of Suicidal Ideation Among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 407-419, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chuhua Zheng & Yanhong Wu, 2020. "The More Modest You are, the Happier You are: The Mediating Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Self-esteem," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1603-1615, June.
    2. Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok & Minmin Gu & Nelson W. Y. Tam, 2022. "A Multiple Component Positive Psychology Intervention to Reduce Anxiety and Increase Happiness in Adolescents: The Mediating Roles of Gratitude and Emotional Intelligence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 2039-2058, June.
    3. Feng Kong & Wenjie Li & Qiuling Wang & Zonglei Zhen, 2023. "Incremental Well-being Beliefs and Well-being in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Self-esteem and Optimism," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 533-549, April.
    4. Tam, Hau-lin & Kwok, Sylvia Y.C.L. & Hui, Anna N.N. & Chan, Doris Ka-yin & Leung, Cynthia & Leung, Janet & Lo, Herman & Lai, Simon, 2021. "The significance of emotional intelligence to students’ learning motivation and academic achievement: A study in Hong Kong with a Confucian heritage," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    5. Chi Kin Kwan & Sylvia YCL Kwok, 2021. "The Impact of Childhood Emotional Abuse on Adolescents’ Subjective Happiness: the Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(6), pages 2387-2401, December.
    6. Imen Krifa & Llewellyn Ellardus van Zyl & Amel Braham & Selma Ben Nasr & Rebecca Shankland, 2022. "Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Optimism and Emotional Regulation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Nelson W. Y. Tam & Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok & Minmin Gu, 2023. "Individual, Peer, and Family Correlates of Depressive Symptoms among College Students in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-15, February.
    8. Sylvia Y C L Kwok & Siqi Fang, 2021. "A Cross-Lagged Panel Study Examining the Reciprocal Relationships Between Positive Emotions, Meaning, Strengths use and Study Engagement in Primary School Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1033-1053, March.

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