Open Access

ARTICLE

Scarcity and Mental Health—Multiple Mediators of Sleep Quality and Life Satisfaction

by Na Liu¹, Yan Zhang², Junxiu Wang^3,4,*

1 School of Sociology and Ethnology, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, 102488, China
2 Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Science, Beijing, 100732, China
3 School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
4 Institute of Psychosocial Services, Kangning Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China

* Corresponding Author: Junxiu Wang. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Social Stress, Adversity, and Mental Health in Transitional China)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2024, 26(6), 449-462. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2024.049334

Received 03 January 2024; Accepted 19 April 2024; Issue published 28 June 2024

Abstract

Background: In the current social environment, scarcity, as a universally present objective state, profoundly impacts individuals’ decision-making and health through the subjective feeling it induces, known as a “scarcity mindset.” Particularly, the feeling of scarcity related to money and sleep time is not only widespread but also directly linked to an individual’s mental health. Purpose: This study aims to delve into the relationship between the feeling of scarcity and mental health, with a specific focus on the relationship between the feeling of money scarcity or sleep time scarcity and mental health, as well as the role of sleep quality or life satisfaction in this relationship. Procedure: We determined the sampling quotas based on the population and economic development levels of each province in the “China Statistical Yearbook (2021)” (National Bureau of Statistics, 2021). Participants were selected using the Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling method. Data was collected by distributing online questionnaires to participants, and the relationships between the main variables were explored using structural equation modeling. Results: 1. In China, the feeling of sleep time scarcity is stronger than the feeling of money scarcity among the public. 2. The feeling of money scarcity is positively correlated with depression and anxiety, whereas the feeling of sleep time scarcity is only positively correlated with depression. 3. The feeling of scarcity mainly leads to depression and self-denial through reducing life satisfaction, and it leads to anxiety through reducing sleep quality. Conclusion: The feeling of scarcity in money and sleep time is related to different dimensions of mental health. Therefore, reasonably planning financial allocation and ensuring an adequate amount of sleep can reduce the sense of scarcity, thereby improving mental health. Additionally, improving sleep quality and increasing life satisfaction can alleviate the adverse effects of scarcity on mental health.

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Keywords

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