PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF EMOTIONAL GUIDANCE IN POLITICAL EDUCATION ON STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract Objective This study investigates the psychological effects of integrating emotional guidance into ideological and political education, with a focus on its role in enhancing students’ value internalization and mental health. It examines how emotionally resonant pedagogical methods—such as narrative storytelling and empathy-based dialogues—contribute to improved emotional regulation, reduced anxiety, and sustained psychological well-being among college students. Subjects and Methods A mixed-methods approach was adopted with 450 undergraduate students. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups, with the former receiving emotion-enhanced instruction and the latter traditional lecture-based teaching. Validated instruments including the Value Orientation Scale (VOS), Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) were administered. Longitudinal data were collected and analyzed via ANOVA and mediation analysis to assess psychological and educational outcomes. Results The emotion-guided approach led to a 40% improvement in value clarity and a 28% reduction in ideological ambivalence. Significant enhancements were also observed in mental health metrics, including emotional regulation and reduced anxiety. Mediation analysis confirmed that emotional engagement significantly facilitated value internalization. However, excessive emotional stimuli were associated with psychological reactance in a minority of participants. Conclusions Emotionally guided strategies effectively support value formation and mental health in political education. It is recommended that educators adopt emotionally responsive and mentally supportive teaching practices to foster both ideological and psychological development. Future studies should consider individual differences in emotional receptivity and the long-term mental health benefits of such approaches.