ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Educational Psychology
This article is part of the Research TopicProtective vs Risk Factors for Stress and Psychological Well-being in Academic University ContextsView all 37 articles
Psychological Strain Among Chinese Master's Students: Protective Mechanisms of Self-Esteem and Influences of Urban-Rural Background and Gender
Provisionally accepted
- 1Harbin Normal University, Harbin, China
- 2Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
- 3University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China
- 4Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
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In China, master's students form a large and growing population confronting unique developmental challenges, such as academic pressure and career uncertainty. However, specialized mental health research targeting this group, particularly focusing on the interplay between demographic factors and psychological resources, remains underdeveloped. This study investigates how residential background (rural vs. urban) and gender predict psychological strain among Chinese master's students, as well as the predictive and moderating roles of self-esteem in this relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in August 2025 among 315 master's students at Jiamusi University, a public university in northeastern China. Participants completed the Psychological Strain Scale (PSS; Zhang et al., 2012; α = 0.96) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965; Chinese version: Jiang et al., 2023; α = 0.82). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations, hierarchical regression, independent samples t-tests. Rural students reported significantly higher total psychological strain and higher scores on all strain dimensions (aspiration, coping, deprivation, value strains) than their urban peers, with the largest difference observed in deprivation strain (Cohen's d = 0.59). Males exhibited significantly higher deprivation strain than females (d = 0.29). Self-esteem emerged as the strongest negative predictor of total strain (β= -0.66, p < 0.001) and all dimension-specific strains. Furthermore, the protective effect of self-esteem was significantly stronger for females than for males (interaction B = -0.65, SE = 0.23, t = -2.83, p = 0.004), whereas its effect was consistent across rural and urban groups. Psychological strain in Chinese master's students is shaped by the complex interplay of structural (rural-urban background), cultural (gender roles), and psychological (self-esteem) factors. Self-esteem serves as a universal protective asset. Interventions should integrate structural equity measures, gender-responsive support, and universal self-esteem cultivation. Establishing a university-family-society collaborative education mechanism is crucial for effective mental health promotion.
Keywords: Chinese Master's Students, Collaborative education, gender differences, psychological strain, rural-urban disparity, self-esteem
Received: 21 Oct 2025; Accepted: 10 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Li and Cui. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Enshan Cui
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