Employment Pressure and Anxiety Among Final-Year Preschool Education Students: The Chain-Mediating Role of Social Support and Psychological Resilience
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UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK
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Anxiety among college students is on the rise, particularly among final-year students facing employment pressure. In China, the job market for preschool education majors has become increasingly competitive due to a large number of graduates and a post-COVID-19 decline in both birth rates and the number of kindergartens. Meanwhile, the state has emphasized the importance of preschool education through integrated pre- and post-service training aimed at building a high-quality kindergarten teacher workforce. Therefore, addressing the employment pressure and anxiety experienced by final-year students in preschool education is essential. This study surveyed 636 fresh preschool education graduates to examine the chain-mediating roles of social support and psychological resilience in the relationship between employment pressure and anxiety, based on the buffering effect model. A crosssectional design and questionnaire method was used, employing measurement tools including the Employment Pressure for College Student Scale, Psychological Resilience Scale, Social Support Rating Scale, and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Two-stage structural equation modeling revealed that (1) Employment pressure was at a lower-middle level, social support at a medium level, psychological resilience at an upper-middle level, and anxiety at an upper-middle level. (2) Employment pressure was positively correlated with anxiety and negatively correlated with social support and psychological resilience; social support was positively correlated with psychological resilience and negatively correlated with anxiety. (3) Social support and psychological resilience exhibited both independent and chain-mediating effects in the relationship between employment pressure and anxiety. This study verifies and expands existing theories regarding the roles of social support and psychological resilience in stress adaptation and anxiety reduction, thereby enriching research on stress and mental health. It also provides a theoretical foundation for enhancing psychological counseling services for college graduates, improving the effectiveness of interventions, and promoting psychological flexibility.