Depression and Anxiety as Mediators Between Family Functioning and Academic Burnout in First-Year Traditional Chinese Medicine Students

This study examined whether depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between family functioning and academic burnout in first-year Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 319 first-year TCM students at a medical college in Shandong Province. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing family functioning, academic burnout, depression, and anxiety. Correlational and regression analyses were conducted, and mediation effects were tested using bootstrap resampling (5,000 iterations). Poor family functioning was significantly associated with higher levels of academic burnout, depression, and anxiety. Mediation analysis showed that depression significantly mediated the relationship between family functioning and academic burnout. Anxiety demonstrated a non-significant indirect effect. Deficient family functioning indirectly influences academic burnout in first-year TCM students, primarily through depression. Interventions addressing family dynamics and mental health may help reduce the risk of academic burnout in this population.