Relationship Between Perceived Social Support and Mental Health among Chinese College Football Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model

Previous researches have confirmed that perceived social support has a profound effect on individuals' mental health. However, the effects and potential mechanisms of perceived social support on mental health of college athletes are still largely unknown, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate and understand the relationship between perceived social support and mental health of college football athletes, and tested whether hopelessness mediated, and psychological pressure moderated the link between them. A sample of 672 Chinese college football athletes (37.9% girls; Mage = 20.43 years; SDage = 1.68) were investigated with the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Surveys were voluntary and anonymous. The results showed that after controlling for demographic variables, hopelessness mediated the association between perceived social support and mental health among Chinese college football athletes. Further, psychological pressure moderated the association between perceived social support and mental health, and the negative association was stronger for athletes with high-level mental pressure. These findings highlight those targeted approaches are necessary for the prevention and intervention of mental health among Chinese college football athletes.