Perceived Digital Counselling Services and Mental Health among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
- 1Dhurakij Pundit University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Abstract
Objective: This study examined gender and academic-year differences in perceived digital counselling services and mental health symptoms among Chinese university students and investigated their association.
Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in November 2025 among 1,565 undergraduates from 12 Chinese public universities. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling and had previously accessed digital counselling services. Data were collected using a 14-item digital counselling services questionnaire and a modified, reverse-scored DASS-21-based symptom measure. Independent-samples t tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression were performed.
Findings: Female students reported higher digital counselling service scores (4.166 vs. 4.027; t= 6.766, p< .001, d= .341) and fewer mental health symptoms (4.395 vs. 4.318; t= 4.992, p< .001, d= .252) than males. Academic-year differences were significant for service perceptions (F= 11.146, p < .001, η² = .021) and mental health symptoms (F= 37.294, p< .001, η²= .067). Service perceptions correlated positively with reverse-scored mental health scores (r= .450, p< .001). This association remained significant after adjustment for gender and academic year (β= .455, p< .001), with the regression model explaining 32.5% of the variance (R²= .325).
Conclusion: More favorable perceptions of digital counselling services were associated with fewer self-reported mental health symptoms. Causal or therapeutic effects cannot be inferred.
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BibTeX
@article{cao2026perceived,
title = {{Perceived Digital Counselling Services and Mental Health among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study}},
author = {Huan Cao and Peng-Fei Chen},
journal = {International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.61838/ijbmc.v13i11.1395},
url = {https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v13i11.1395},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Perceived Digital Counselling Services and Mental Health among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
AU - Huan Cao
AU - Peng-Fei Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture
DO - 10.61838/ijbmc.v13i11.1395
UR - https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v13i11.1395
AB - Objective: This study examined gender and academic-year differences in perceived digital counselling services and mental health symptoms among Chinese university students and investigated their association. Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in November 2025 among 1,565 undergraduates from 12 Chinese public universities. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling and had previously accessed digital counselling services. Data were collected using a 14-item digital counselling services questionnaire and a modified, reverse-scored DASS-21-based symptom measure. Independent-samples t tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression were performed. Findings: Female students reported higher digital counselling service scores (4.166 vs. 4.027; t= 6.766, p< .001, d= .341) and fewer mental health symptoms (4.395 vs. 4.318; t= 4.992, p< .001, d= .252) than males. Academic-year differences were significant for service perceptions (F= 11.146, p < .001, η² = .021) and mental health symptoms (F= 37.294, p< .001, η²= .067). Service perceptions correlated positively with reverse-scored mental health scores (r= .450, p< .001). This association remained significant after adjustment for gender and academic year (β= .455, p< .001), with the regression model explaining 32.5% of the variance (R²= .325). Conclusion: More favorable perceptions of digital counselling services were associated with fewer self-reported mental health symptoms. Causal or therapeutic effects cannot be inferred.
SN - 2345-5802
ER -