The relationship between career stress and non-suicidal self-injury among college students: Mediating effects of depression and resilience

Abstract

Aim: This study investigates the relationship between career stress and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among college students, with a focus on the mediating roles of depression and resilience.

Background: Career-related stress is a significant source of psychological distress among college students and may contribute to maladaptive coping behaviors such as NSSI. However, the psychological mechanisms linking career stress and NSSI remain underexplored. Existing theories suggest that emotional vulnerability and coping resources, such as depression and resilience, may play crucial mediating roles.

Methods: A total of 205 South Korean college students participated in an online survey conducted in late 2024. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to assess the direct and indirect effects of career stress on NSSI, with depression and resilience tested as sequential mediators. Gender was controlled as a covariate.

Results: Career stress was not directly associated with NSSI but was significantly related to increased depression and decreased resilience. Depression and resilience both independently mediated the relationship between career stress and NSSI. Furthermore, a significant sequential mediation path was identified: career stress increased depression, which in turn reduced resilience, ultimately leading to higher NSSI engagement. These effects remained robust after controlling for gender, which showed no significant influence on key psychological variables.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that NSSI in college students is influenced more by emotional and psychological processes than by external stressors alone. Depression emerged as a key risk factor, while resilience functioned as a protect factor. These insights can inform preventive strategies focused on emotional regulation and resilience-building.

Keywords: Career stress; College students; Depression; Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI); Resilience.