Social rhythm and mental health: a longitudinal cross-cultural comparison in Germany, China, and Russia
Year: 2026
Type: book-chapter
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Social rhythm refers to the regularity with which a person participates in social activities during the week and has shown associations with depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as aspects of positive mental health, in cross-sectional studies. The aim of the present study is to examine these relationships longitudinally across three countries. Questionnaire data were obtained from a large-scale multi-national sample of 872 university students from Germany, 12,057 students from China, and 677 students from Russia. Results indicated that social rhythm irregularity is related to increased reporting of depression, anxiety, and stress over time in all three countries. In contrast, greater regularity is related to better overall health state, life satisfaction, and positive mental health in two of the three countries. The effects are generally small in size, but hold even when controlling for gender, partnership status, and age. Further, social rhythm means differ across countries, with Russian students reporting the greatest irregularity. Social rhythm irregularity significantly predicts mental health problems and lower levels of positive mental and physical health above traditional predictors in Russia, China, and Germany in a prospective longitudinal design.
Source: Current Psychology
Institution: Ruhr University Bochum
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,390
Funder: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
OpenAlex ID: W7161847769