Personal values are differentially associated with overall mental health profiles among Chinese university students, with self-transcendence linked to more favorable profiles and self-enhancement linked to less favorable profiles, supporting a person-centered dual-factor model perspective.
Key Findings
Results
Three distinct mental health profiles were identified among Chinese university students using latent profile analysis: complete mental health, vulnerable, and troubled.
Profiles were identified using a dual-factor model perspective, combining both symptom indicators (anxiety, depression) and positive indicators (life satisfaction, psychological resilience)
The 'symptomatic but content' profile — which would have high symptoms but high well-being — was not found in this sample
The sample consisted of 14,929 Chinese university students completing self-report measures
This person-centered approach contrasts with variable-centered approaches that examine single mental health indicators in isolation
Results
Self-transcendence values were associated with membership in more favorable mental health profiles.
Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between personal value dimensions and mental health profile membership
Self-transcendence was linked to lower likelihood of vulnerable or troubled profile membership compared to complete mental health
Self-transcendence values emphasize concern for others' welfare and universal principles
Results
Self-enhancement values were associated with membership in less favorable mental health profiles.
Multinomial logistic regression showed self-enhancement was linked to less favorable mental health profiles
Self-enhancement values emphasize personal success, dominance, and self-interest
This pattern held in a large sample of 14,929 Chinese university students
Results
Openness to change showed a conditional pattern in its relationship to mental health profile membership.
Openness to change was generally linked to lower likelihood of vulnerable or troubled profile membership relative to complete mental health
However, among students already in vulnerable or troubled profiles, higher openness to change was associated with higher likelihood of troubled membership rather than vulnerable membership
This suggests openness to change may have different implications depending on an individual's existing mental health status
The conditional nature of this finding highlights the importance of considering profile context when interpreting value-mental health associations
Results
Conservation values played a weaker role in distinguishing mental health profiles and mainly differentiated the complete mental health and vulnerable profiles.
Conservation values showed a weaker overall role compared to self-transcendence, self-enhancement, and openness to change
Conservation primarily distinguished between complete mental health and vulnerable profile membership
Conservation values emphasize tradition, conformity, and security
Methods
The study used a cross-sectional design with a large sample of 14,929 Chinese university students measuring personal values, anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, and psychological resilience.
All measures were self-report
Latent profile analysis was used to identify mental health profiles
Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between value dimensions and profile membership
The study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inference
What This Means
This research surveyed nearly 15,000 Chinese university students to understand how their personal values relate to their overall mental health. Rather than just looking at symptoms like anxiety or depression separately, the researchers used a 'dual-factor' approach that also considered positive mental health indicators like life satisfaction and resilience. Using statistical methods, they grouped students into three distinct mental health profiles: those with complete mental health (low symptoms, high well-being), those who were vulnerable (some difficulties but not severely symptomatic), and those who were troubled (poor mental health across indicators). Notably, a fourth possible group — people who have high symptoms but still report high well-being — was not found in this sample.
The study found that the type of values a person holds is meaningfully connected to which mental health group they fall into. Students who prioritized values related to caring for others and the broader world (self-transcendence) tended to have better mental health profiles. Students who prioritized personal success and dominance over others (self-enhancement) tended to have worse profiles. Valuing openness and change was generally protective, but interestingly, among students who were already struggling, higher openness to change was linked to being in the most troubled group rather than just the vulnerable one — suggesting this value dimension can work differently depending on a person's circumstances. Values related to tradition and conformity (conservation) played only a modest role.
This research suggests that university mental health programs might benefit from going beyond just screening students for symptoms like depression or anxiety. Because the values students hold appear to be connected to their broader mental health patterns, incorporating discussions of personal values and helping students build positive psychological resources — not just treating symptoms — could be a worthwhile component of mental health education on college campuses.
Zhang W, Li Z. (2026). Personal values and mental health among Chinese university students: a dual-factor model perspective.. BMC psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05380-x