title: The association between occupational stress and depressive symptoms and the mediating role of psychological capital among Chinese university teachers: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression is a major public health problem that affects both individuals and society. Previous studies report that university teachers are particularly susceptible to high levels of occupational stress and depressive symptoms. The aims of this study were to explore the association between occupational stress and depressive symptoms in a group of university teachers, and assess the mediating role of psychological capital between these variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed between November 2013 and January 2014. Teachers from six universities were randomly sampled in Shenyang. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, effort-reward imbalance scale, and psychological capital questionnaire (PCQ-24), as well as questions about demographic and working factors, were administered in questionnaires distributed to 1,500 university teachers. Completed questionnaires were received from 1,210 participants. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to examine the mediating role of psychological capital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, 58.9% (95% CI (Confidence Intervals): 56.1% to 61.7%) of university teachers had a CES-D score equal to or above the cut-off of 16. Both effort-reward ratio (ERR) and scores of over-commitment were positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas psychological capital was negatively associated with depressive symptoms among university teachers. Psychological capital partially mediated the relationship between occupational stress and depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among Chinese university teachers, occupational stress may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms, whereas psychological capital might be protective against depressive symptoms. Our results suggest that college administrators could support the development of psychological capital in their staff to alleviate depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New District, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. xueshen89@163.com.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New District, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. yyylll390@163.com.
authors.forename: Yi-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New District, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. allylove666@aliyun.com.cn.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New District, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. liul@mail.cmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New District, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. wangshu0829@yeah.net.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New District, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. liewang@mail.cmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities