Negative life events and mood states: Emotional resilience as mediator and moderator

We conducted a survey with 608 Chinese college students to investigate the mediating and moderating effects of emotional resilience in the relationship between negative life events and mood state. Researchers have previously examined either the moderating or mediating effect of emotional resilience in this relationship, and there has been disagreement about whether emotional resilience is idiosyncratic or state-driven. Our results showed that college students’ level of emotional resilience and mood state were significant predictors for the effect of negative life events; emotional resilience had a significant positive effect on college students’ mood state, and emotional resilience had a significant mediating and moderating effect in the relationship of negative life events and college students’ mood state. These findings not only further support the theory that emotional resilience is state-driven, but also highlight the important role of emotional resilience in maintaining the emotional health of college students.