The Counseling Psychologist, Ahead of Print.
The current study investigated potential coping profiles among Chinese college students and their associations with two mental health indicators: depression and life satisfaction. Utilizing indicators of coping, proactive coping, and coping self-efficacy as observed variables, the study predicted latent coping profiles among a sample of 823 Chinese college students using latent profile analysis (LPA). The results identified four distinct coping profiles: Active Style, Passive Style, Impulsive Style, and Considerate Style. Both Active and Considerate Styles were categorized as adaptive profiles, demonstrating associations with lower levels of depression and higher levels of life satisfaction. Conversely, Passive and Impulsive Styles were classified as maladaptive profiles, displaying higher levels of depression and lower levels of life satisfaction. Furthermore, coping self-efficacy emerged as a more dependable indicator for mental health compared to the frequency of coping activities. This manuscript discusses the limitations of its findings and the implications for theory, practice, education and training.