The Impact of Psychological Flexibility on Mental Health of Chinese University Students: A Narrative Review

Psychological flexibility (PF) is a core concept of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), the "third wave" of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is closely related to mental health. This review elaborates on the origins, concepts, connotations, and bio-psycho-social significance of Psychological flexibility. By summarising the progress of research in China and abroad, we explore the relevant factors, interventions, and prospects of psychological flexibility affecting the mental health of Chinese university students to provide a basis for enhancing the psychological flexibility and promoting the mental health of Chinese university students. We systematically searched all literature published from March 2004 to March 2024 through PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. A total of 12 articles were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The reviewed articles showed that psychological flexibility is closely related to personality health and coping mechanisms of Chinese university students, and affects existing psychological symptoms and negative behaviours such as stress, pain, anxiety, and depression. Many factors, including sociodemographic factors, will affect psychological flexibility. Therefore, some intervention measures can be implemented to improve psychological flexibility and promote mental health. This review shows that it is necessary to pay attention to the psychological flexibility of Chinese university students and analyse its impact on mental health to develop effective targeted intervention measures.