What the study found
The study found that COVID-19 stress was transmitted to adolescent problem behaviors through different pathways for internalizing behaviors, such as anxiety or withdrawal, and externalizing behaviors, such as acting out. Academic attribution profiles, meaning how students explain academic outcomes, moderated these pathways.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that academic attribution is an important moderator in how COVID-19 stress reaches different kinds of problem behaviors. The findings indicate that the stress transmission process is not the same for internalizing and externalizing behaviors.
What the researchers tested
The researchers surveyed 1,012 middle and high school students using questionnaires. They identified academic attribution types with latent profile analysis, which groups people by similar patterns, and then built a moderated multiple mediation model to test how COVID-19 stress related to problem behaviors through academic stress and adaptation stress.
What worked and what didn't
Five academic attribution subgroups were identified, and they showed different moderation of the effects of COVID-19 stress on internalizing and externalizing behaviors. For internalizing behaviors, the abstract reports complete mediation through academic stress, stress stemming from adaptation, and a chain effect; for externalizing behaviors, it reports partial mediation plus a significant direct effect. Extreme Attribution and High-Sensitive types showed higher stress reactivity, while the Attribution Attenuation type was described as protective.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe limitations in detail. The findings are based on questionnaire data from middle and high school students, so the summary provided here is limited to that sample and design.
Key points
- Five academic attribution subgroups were identified in the student sample.
- COVID-19 stress affected internalizing and externalizing behaviors through different mediation patterns.
- Internalizing behaviors were reported as fully mediated by academic stress and adaptation stress pathways.
- Externalizing behaviors were reported as partly mediated and also linked to a direct effect.
- Academic attribution profiles changed how strongly stress transmission pathways operated.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- COVID-19 stress affected adolescent problem behaviors through different pathways
- Authors:
- Da Yi, Qingqi Zhang, Kangqian Li, Ai Ma, Xiaoqian Liu, Yitong Li, Cheng Lian
- Institutions:
- China University of Political Science and Law, China University of Political Science and Law, China University of Political Science and Law, China University of Political Science and Law, China University of Political Science and Law, Chinese National Academy of Arts, Communication University of China, Xintai People's Hospital
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-23
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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