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. 2025 May 20;25(1):511.
doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-06933-x.

The chain mediating role of resilience and stress perception between mindfulness and PTSD among college students after campus violence

Qi Sun #  1   2 , Kaiyuan Jing #  1 , Xiaoxiao Xu  3 , Bicheng Gao  1   4 , Yawen Tan  5 , Xiaofan Yan  1 , Linkai Wu  2 , Zhenglin Ji  2 , Hailong Mu  2 , Mengxue Zhao  6
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The chain mediating role of resilience and stress perception between mindfulness and PTSD among college students after campus violence

Qi Sun et al. BMC Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Objective: Despite extensive research on mindfulness, there is a dearth of studies exploring its impact on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through the intermediaries of psychological resilience and perceived stress. In response to a violent campus event, this article investigates the association between mindfulness levels among college students and the presence of PTSD using a sequential mediation model.

Methods: We recruited 324 participants from a university following a violent event and collected 314 valid data. All the participants signed the informed consent and completed self-report measures of mindfulness (MASS), stress perception (PSS), resilience (CD-RISC) and PTSD (PCL-5). The SPSS PROCESS model 6 was utilized to investigate the chain mediation model.

Findings: (1) There exists a notable positive correlation between mindfulness and resilience (r = 0.45, p < 0.01), while a significant negative correlation is observed between mindfulness and stress perception (r = -.55, p < 0.01), as well as PTSD (r = -.51, p < 0.01). (2) Resilience (effect = -0.1109) and stress perception (effect = -0.1359) play a mediating role between mindfulness and PTSD, respectively. (3) Stress perception is predicted by resilience (β = -0.62, t = -15.96, p < 0.001). (4) Stress perception and resilience play a chain mediating role between mindfulness and PTSD (effect = -0.1301).

Conclusion: In the aftermath of the campus violence incident, PTSD experienced by college students can be affected by mindfulness through a chain mediating effect of stress perception and resilience.

Keywords: Campus violence; Mindfulness; PTSD; Resilience; Stress perception.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate:: This study adhered to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and received approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of the Army Medical University (2021 NO.11–02). All survey participants willingly took part in the study and provided informed consent by signing a consent form before participating in the questionnaire. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Conceptual framework
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Path map of the impact of mindfulness on PTSD. PTSD: post-traumatic stress disorder
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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