The Mediating Role of Coping Style in the Relationship between Psychological Capital and Depression among Self-Harming Students

The objective of this study is to explore the mediating role of coping style in the relationship between psychological capital and depression in self-harming students. The current study utilized a descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional design, employing structural equation modeling (SEM). The target population consisted of all adolescents enrolled as students in Tehran from April to November 2023 with a history of engaging in self-harming behaviors. Purposive sampling methods were employed to select a cohort of 145 students who engaged in self-harming conduct. in this investigation comprised the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the coping strategies questionnaire (CSQ), and the Luthans Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ). Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS version 27 software, while the path coefficient between variables was conducted using SmartPLS version 4 software. Additionally, Sobel's test was employed to determine the significance of the mediator variable. A significance level of 0.05 was considered appropriate. Based on the results, it was observed that the element of hope exerted a favorable and notable impact on factors including attracting social support, cognitive assessment, emotional restraint, and physical restraint components (P< 0.05). However, this component had a detrimental impact on the depression variable (β=-0.282, P<0.001). Similarly, the Optimism component demonstrated a significant and positive effect on variables including attracting social support, emotional restraint, problem-Solving, and physical restraint components (p < 0.05). Taking into account the favorable influence of psychological resources on how individuals deal with challenges, it is advisable to organize training programs within educational institutions and counseling centers.