| Research Objects and SignificanceWith the development of the indigenous psychology. Taiwan scholars will be focused on the typical way of thinking for Chinese the Zhong-yong thinking, to explore the impact on the social life and mental health. However,the Zhong-yong thinking research field in Mainland China is still in its infancy, few studies have been conducted from an empirical perspective, and this field in China is still lack of mature Zhong-yong thinking measurement tools. The measurement tools are from Taiwan without testing its applicability in Mainland China. On the other hand,with the process of economic globalization, multiculturalism has impacted on the Chinese people, especially the young people of China, it seems to be very necessary to explore whether Zhong-yong thinking still has influenced the Chinese people. Last but not least, exploring the relationship between Zhong-yong thinking and emotion helps understanding how it can impact on mental health.In one word,studying the relationship between the Zhong-yong thinking and emotional issues in college students has important theoretical and practical significance. In this study, the Zhong-yong Thinking Style Scale from Yi-zheng Wu and Jia-hui Lin is firstly revised, and their psychometric properties are evaluated as well; then the current situation of Zhong-yong thinking among Chinese undergraduates is assessed, and the relationship of Zhong-yong thinking and emotional issues is analysed using the data of a cross-sectional survey.Research Methods1. ProcedureFirstly, the Zhong-yong Thinking Style Scale developed by Yi-zheng Wu and Jia-hui Lin is discussed by a group to evaluate whether it is fit for the understanding for Mainland Chinese. A survey is conducted after that, and the items of the scale are modified based on the results of item analysis and feedback from the sample during a group discussion. Next, we conduct another survey to re-analysis the items and other psychometric properties to confirm the final version of scale. Finally, the final version is used in a national survey of college students (student sample obtained by random stratified sampling). The results of this survey are used to assess the current situation of Chinese undergraduates’ Zhong-yong thinking.Meanwhile, the relationship of Zhong-yong thinking and emotional issues is examined as well.2. Participants(1) The process of revising the scale included a group discussion and two surveys.The discussion group was from psychology major of a university in Guangzhou City,including80students in ten groups,4senior post-graduate students of psychology and2psychology teachers.The sample of the first survey was from four majors of a university in Guangzhou City.198valid questionnaires were received (94.3%);The second time survey recruited a convenient sample of269 college students from other four majors of a university in Guangzhou, with244of them valid (91.4%).(2) A stratified sampling procedure was adopted to recruit the sample of the national survey.8602undergraduates were recruited in total, with8202of them replied validly (95.4%). The age of participants were from16to27,21.05years old on average (SD1.44), of which3094were males and5108were females.3. MeasurementsZhong-yong Thinking Style Scale (revised), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Suicide Behaviour Questionary (SBQ); SPSS19.0.4.The main research method used in this study are:Item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency reliability and retest reliability, independent--samples T Test,one way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis, etc.Results:(1)Item analysis:the/values between high score group and low score group are above3,the correlations with total score are above0.3.(2) Reliability:the internal consistency reliability coefficients of Zhong-yong Thinking Style Scale is0.811, and retest reliability coefficients is0.869.the scale has acceptable reliabilities.(3)Validity:Exploratory Factor Analysis of Zhong-yong Thinking Style Scale indicates a factor model, which explained variance by38.9%,and the communalities are all above0.2,demonstrating that the revised version of Zhong-yong Thinking Style Scale has excellent construct validity.Also it has excellent criterion validity, which has positive correlation with normal impression(r=0.268,P<0.01), negative correlation with emotional perception as well as auto-criticism(r=0.287,P<0.01; r=0.370,P<0.01). (4) The Characteristics of Chinese students’ Zhong-yong thinking:Male and Female show significant difference in Zhong-yong thinking, with Female scores significant higher than male(t=-4.74,P<0.001); There are significant family residence differences in Zhong-yong thinking,with undergraduates that come from small-medium cities have the highest level of Zhong-yong thinking(t=-4.16, P<0.001); Students from different grades are significantly different on the Zhong-yong thinking as well(F=6.67, P<0.001). Students with different politics status are significantly different in Zhong-yong thinking (F=11.73,P<0.001),as well as the sexual orientation(F=10.49, P<0.001).(5) Undergraduates who have different levels of Zhong-yong thinking appear to have a significant difference in the level of depression(t=-28.07,P<0.001), anxiety(t=-18.95,P<0.001) and suicide behavior(t=-6.97,P<0.001); High Zhong-yong thinking has the significant lower level of depression,anxiety and suicide behavior than the low Zhong-yong thinking.(6) The relationship between Zhong-yong thinking and emotion indicators: Zhong-yong thinking has a significant negative correlation with depression (r=-30.767,P<0.001), anxiety(r=-21.840,P<0.001) and suicide behaviour (r=-6.038, P<0.001).(7)After controlling for age, gender, place of residence, marriage or relationship status,Zhong-yong thinking’s regression effect is still significant on depression(t=-30.77, P<0.001), anxiety(t=-21.84,P<0.001)and suicide behavior(t=-6.04, P<0.001),and it is negative.Conclusion(1) The Zhong-yong Thinking Style Scale revised version has good internal consistency, retest reliability, content validity and construct validity in general, and it can be used as efficient tools in measuring Zhong-yong thinking among college students religious groups.(2)Chinese college students has a lower level of Zhong-yong thinking,compared with the undergraduates of Taiwan.(3)There is a significant difference in Zhong-yong thinking among the gender,grades,residence,sexual orientation,politics status and etc.(4)the higher score Zhong-yong thinking is,the lower score the depression,anxiety and suicide behavior is.(5)the Zhong-yong thinking has influenced the depression more than anxiety, and has the least influenced the suicide behavior.Innovations of the ResearchThe psychometric properties of the revised version of Zhong-yong Thinking Style Scale have been tested among a national survey of Chinese college students, which can be further used to assess Zhong-yong Thinking Style in large cross-sectional investigations in Mainland China. Meanwhile, this study initially reported the current situation and characteristics of Zhong-yong thinking of Chinese undergraduates. In addition, the sample involved is by far the largest and most representative one in examining the relationship of Zhong-yong thinking and emotional issues in China.LimitationsThe bias of the national samples is significant, since a large amount of them are freshmen, and there are significantly more female, etc.; Without thinking of the other factors those could impact on the emotions;Quantitative research just can explain the general trends,not the exact reasons. |
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