Longitudinal Relationships Between Positive Psychological Capacities and Emotional Well-Being Among 950 College Students: A Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analysis

Emotional problems have become increasingly prevalent among university students, underscoring the importance of identifying protective psychological capacities that are linked to lower vulnerability to emotional problems. However, prior research has largely relied on cross-sectional designs and conventional statistical approaches, which limit the ability to clarify the temporal associations among multiple variables. To address this gap, we recruited 950 undergraduate students (61.6% female; Mage = 19.26, SD = 1.18) from 20 universities and conducted a two-wave longitudinal study. Cross-lagged panel network analysis was applied to examine the prospective associations linking positive psychological capacities (e.g., resilience, mindfulness) with emotional outcomes (e.g., negative affect, depression). Results revealed that positive affect and the acceptance dimension of mindfulness were among the most influential nodes within the network and exhibited stronger prospective associations with other positive psychological capacities. Based on the pathways identified in the network analysis, a half-longitudinal mediation model was further estimated to examine whether acceptance and awareness were prospectively associated with lower depressive symptoms through optimism. Together, these findings further clarified the temporal associations among positive psychological capacities and identified a prospective association linking mindfulness and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that future mental health interventions for university students may benefit from incorporating strategies that promote positive affect and optimism within mindfulness practices.