Introduction

Depression is a psychological disorder characterized by a negative mood, lack of motivation, and a sense of life meaningless. It is accompanied by the experience of emotions such as anger, sadness, self-guilt and shame in different situations (DMS-5 diagnostic). One of the core symptoms of depressive states of mind that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for depression is negative evaluations of self [1]. Such self-defeating thoughts can further aggravate the patient’s mood and trigger additional symptoms. Therefore, It may has a significant correlation between depression and self-consciousness [2–6]. It has also been shown that when shame is controlled, the link between guilt and depression disappears or becomes smaller [7]. Enhancing pride can promote positive emotions and thinking about themselves, enhancing social value and mental health [8]. Therefore, this study hypothesizes that positive self-consciousness levels may negatively predict the performance of depression in college students.

The sense of meaning in life refers to individuals’ subjective experiences as valuable, purposeful and directional [9]. Individuals who are faced with life’s challenges take the initiative to create and find meaning in their lives [10]. Numerous studies have shown that sense of meaning in life have positive effects, for example, a sense of life meaningful can adjust health-related attitudes and behaviors, promoting health for students [11]. In terms of mental health, college students with a sense of meaning in life have a healthier psychological state are more satisfied with life, are happier and more optimistic about the future, and have better psychological adaptability [12, 13]. When college students face adversity, they can reduce psychological pain and the adverse effects of traumatic experiences in life by pursuing a sense of life purpose [14]. Conversely, college students who lack of a sense of life meaningful in experience more lonely, and have a higher levels of anxiety and depression [15]. A sense of meaning in life is a direct reflection of self-awareness, and a blurred sense of self not only diminishes an individual’s sense of meaningfulness in connecting with others, but also diminishes the individual’s pursuit of life’s purpose [16]. So in this hypothesis self-consciousness may contribute to depression in college students by impairing their sense of life meaningful.

Self-efficacy refers to subjective judgment and confidence level in one’s ability to complete a task [17]. Many studies suggest that there is a significant correlation between adolescent self-efficacy and depression [18]. When college students face difficulties at this stage of development, such as family environment difficulties, academic difficulties and employment difficulties, self-efficacy can promote their adaptive development [19, 20]. College students with higher self-efficacy always view threat situations as challenges, and then set high goals and maintain strong commitment. They can maintain hope and continue working hard when faced with failure, which will in turn reduce the risk of depression [21]. In contrast, college students with lower self-efficacy often avoid difficulties and experience more negative emotions and tension, at last the risk of depression increased [22]. Therefore, the present study hypothesized that self-consciousness can reduce the risk of depression by enhancing college students’ self-efficacy.

Some researches have shown that there is a correlation between self-efficacy and sense of meaning in life [23]. Self-efficacy is a kind of optimistic self-belief [24], when college students exert their initiative to persist in pursuing a goal until the task is achieved, self-efficacy can be improved, thus a higher sense of meaning in life can be experienced [25]. Studies have explored the relationship between self-efficacy and sense of meaning in specific functional domains, such as social self-efficacy, social self-efficacy, occupational decision-making self-efficacy, and network efficacy [26]. Self-efficacy is a kind of exploratory self-identity of an individual’s own ability, and the degree of this identity is a necessary condition and an important element that affects the individual’s experience of meaning in life [27]. Academic self-efficacy is a manifestation of self-efficacy in the academic domain, it is the subjective evaluation of students’ self-efficacy [28]. The higher the students’ evaluation of their self-efficacy, the more conducive they will be to enhancing their self-worth (e.g., sense of meaning in life, self-esteem, etc.) [29].

Social support is the perception of emotional experiences related to support, respect and understanding from the outside world [30]. Studies showed that the primary effect model holds that social support maintains good emotional experiences, reduces negative emotions and reduces the risk of depression [31]. Social support has a negative predictive effect on depression [32]. College students with lower self-efficacy can effectively alleviate depression by using external support to buffer the impact of stress time on their emotions, enhancing their confidence and endurance when facing challenges and alleviating depression [33]. Therefore, this study hypothesis that social support would moderate the relationship between self-efficacy and depression.

In summary, this study proposes the following research hypotheses:

  1. 1)

    Self-consciousness can negatively predict the risk of depression in college students.

  2. 2)

    The life meaningful and self-efficacy mediate the relationship between self-consciousness and depression.

  3. 3)

    Social support moderates the relationship between self-efficacy and depression.

Based on the above three theoretical assumptions, this study constructs a theoretical hypothesis model, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Theoretical model

Full size image

Methods

Participants

In accordance with the Helsinki Declaration, the study was conducted and revised under the approval of the ethics committees of Wenzhou Medical University. The questionnaire content was accessed via a QR code through the We-Chat Star questionnaire, researchers administered self-report measurement during regular school hours in the classroom. The purpose of the survey was explained in the questionnaire instructions before conducting the survey, and guarantee the confidentiality of participants’ information. Students used their mobile phones to scan the QR code and to finish the survey. Before participation, everyone either provided their oral consent by raising their hands or checked a box indicating informed consent on the online questionnaires. Participants were given instructions regarding each scale before rating the items. They were invited to fill out the five self-report questionnaires under the principle of voluntary, anonymous and confidential.

Use the convenient sampling method, 600 undergraduate students were recruited. Variables such as gender and grade were controlled. After excluding 17 invalid questionnaires caused by data missing or regular responses, 583 valid questionnaires were collected, yielding a valid response rate of 97.2%.

Measures

Self-consciousness scale

The self-consciousness scale was developed by Fenigstein [34]. It involves personal self-consciousness, public self-consciousness, and social anxiety. The scale has 17 items, with two reverse and 15 positive ratings. The scale adopts a five-point scale, where 1 represents “completely inconsistent”, 2 represents “not very consistent”, 3 represents “unclear”, 4 represents “quite consistent” and 5 represents “very consistent”. High scores indicate clear self-understanding. The internal consistency coefficient of the scale is 0.819. Cronbach’s α was 0.83 in this study.

Life meaning scale

Life meaning scale was developed by Steger [35]. The internal consistency coefficients of the total scale, MLQ-P, and MLQ-S 0.868, 0.811, and 0.841, respectively, all greater than 0.8, indicating good consistency. High scores indicate a strong sense of meaning in life. This table consists of ten items and is divided into two sub-scales: (1) the presence of meaning (MLQ-P), which includes five items. (2) The search for meaning (MLQ-S) contains five items. The scale uses a seven-point scoring method, ranging from 1 to 7 points, with 1 point indicating “completely inconsistent” and 7 points indicating “completely consistent.” In the present study, the Cronbach’s α of the scale was 0.89.

Social support scale

The social support rating scale was developed by Shuiyuan ** Style among Chinese Medical Students. BMC Psychol. 2020;8(1):38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-020-00402-8 ." href="/article/10.1186/s12889-024-18263-w#ref-CR47" id="ref-link-section-d16464104e3497">47]. This study also explored how self-consciousness affects depression in college students. Research has found that self-consciousness can positively predict the sense of meaning in life. Improving college students’ self-consciousness means exploring and recognizing oneself, enhancing values and outlook on life [52]. As a buffer resource for mental health, self-efficacy can mobilize an individual’s psychological resources, hel** them adjust to a positive psychological state [39]. Social support can provide individuals with opportunities and resources to improve their self-efficacy [18]. While college students can naturally protect themselves and overcome difficulties when they can correctly view the problematic situations they encounter in realizing their dreams, negative emotions increase with the difficulty and intensity of setbacks [31]. Correcting overall confidence, such as general self-efficacy. When general self-efficacy is insufficient to correct negative cognition caused by environmental changes, at this time provide sufficient social support, college students will have a stronger sense of security and strength, reduce anxiety and unease, and can stimulate their desire to achieve success [33]. Laying a solid foundation for maintaining and improving self-efficacy among college students helps improve depressive symptoms [53].

Implications

To reduce the level of depression among college students, schools and parents should attach importance to the cultivation and improvement of the sense of meaning in life among young students.

First, family should leverage the positive significance of family functions and factors that affect an individual’s sense of meaning in life. Interaction theory suggests that individual and environmental factors influence individual growth and development, and the external environment relies on seeking a sense of belonging and security in intimate relationships. Families can increase college students’ sense of belonging by establishing harmonious and intimate parent-child relationships [17]. For example, parents should respect their children’s choices and freedom, allowing them some time and space to independently do things they like. Chat with children more often, fully consider their opinions and ideas, and give them more opportunities to express and listen. When children express their own ideas and opinions, parents should listen carefully and provide responses and support as much as possible. Parents need to understand their children’s personalities and characteristics, be tolerant of their shortcomings, and actively praise their strengths.

Second, Universities should take appropriate measures and strategies to enhance and cultivate students’ sense of meaning in life. On the one hand, universities should offer courses related to the meaning of life and health. By increasing extracurricular volunteer service activities, organizing psychological capital themed groups, increasing individual success experiences, observing and imitating exemplary behaviors, and other activities, college students should be guided to understand the meaning of life from the learning process and specific events in life, and explore themselves in a targeted manner, enhance the general self-efficacy of college students and enhance their sense of meaning in life [2]. On the other hand, universities should provide various forms of social activities to promote interaction among students, including sports competitions, cultural and artistic festivals, classroom group learning, student union and volunteer services to provide students with a relaxed learning environment and good peer relationships.

Thirdly, attention should be paid to improving the self-efficacy of college students. For example, in response to non-student learning situations, teachers help students develop personalized phased learning goals, allowing them to see their progress in their studies and their progress in their studies [5]. Teachers can try to discovery the strengths of students, giving them ample opportunities to showcase themselves, and praising their bravery, kindness, optimism, allowing them to have more confidence and ultimately achieve success.

Finally, it is necessary to provide students with social support, such as providing spiritual encouragement and peer assistance in their studies, establishing a precise assistance system, providing timely material assistance for economically disadvantaged students, establishing special funds to slow down employment expenses, providing interview training, job recommendations, resume modifications, and other assistance to help students find employment. For students with interpersonal difficulties, art therapy [31], including psychological drama and painting therapy, can be offered to help them integrate into the group. The more social support an individual feels, the more channels they can access to relieve negative emotions, strengthen their happiness and satisfaction, and reduce depression.

Limitations

There are some shortcomings in this study. First, this was a cross-sectional study exploring the impact mechanism of self-consciousness on depression in college students. Cross-sectional research has several advantages, including answering research questions and evaluating risk factors. As long as a test with high reliability and validity is selected, the results can support and explain complex models [54]. However, cross-sectional studies also have limitations, and future research should be designed in conjunction with longitudinal follow-up studies to explore the possible causal relationship between self-consciousness and depression in college students. Second, self-reported data were used by students. Although the common method bias in this study did not reach a significant level, future research should collect data from several channels (e.g., parents, teachers, and peers) to understand the relationships between variables.

Conclusion

This study established a moderated mediation model to examine the influencing factors and mechanisms of depression in college students. The research analysis result showed that:

  1. 1)

    Self-consciousness can negatively predict the risk of depression in college students.

  2. 2)

    The meaning of life and self-efficacy mediate between self-consciousness and depression.

  3. 3)

    Social support plays a role in the mediating model of self-efficacy, self-consciousness, self-efficacy, and depression.