The association between cultural engagement and mental health in Chinese higher vocational students: a cross-sectional study

The mental health of students in higher vocational institutions has become a critical concern, with traditional Chinese culture potentially offering solutions through its positive psychological influences. This study investigates the relationship between traditional Chinese culture and the mental health of vocational students. A random sampling approach was employed to select 432 participants from eight classes of the 2022 and 2023 cohorts at Shunde Polytechnic, representing diverse disciplines such as literature, engineering, and science. Data were collected via an online survey using the platform Questionnaire Star, complemented by interviews for quality assurance. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-13) was used to assess mental health status. Results revealed that most students had only a superficial understanding of traditional culture, partly due to monotonous teaching content. Mental health assessments revealed a high prevalence of psychological distress among students, including symptoms of depression and pessimism. Further analysis demonstrated an inverse relationship between positive cultural identity and lower levels of psychological distress, while active engagement with culture was linked to better mental health. A multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that participation in cultural activities, such as drama, was associated negatively with depressive symptoms, and that engagement with classical literature was linked to a mitigation of pessimistic attitudes and other psychological concern. This cross-sectional study demonstrates that positive cultural identity and active cultural engagement are significantly associated with better mental health outcomes among students. Specifically, participation in cultural activities such as drama and engagement with classical literature show consistent negative associations with depressive symptoms and pessimistic attitudes. These observed relationships highlight cultural engagement as a potential area for future longitudinal or interventional research to explore its protective role in student mental health.