The Contribution of Positive Self-Schemas to University Students' Distress and Well-being

Post-secondary students experience increased vulnerability to mental health difficulties. Targeting students' self-schemas is a potentially effective response. However, research has focused predominantly on negative self-schemas despite research suggesting positive self-schemas are uniquely associated with mental health indicators. To address this imbalance, this study assessed the psychometric properties of a positive self-schema measure and unique relations between self-schemas and indicators of mental health and well-being among university students (N = 363,M-age = 18.16, 72% female). Results indicated that the Positive Schema Questionnaire (PSQ; Keyfitz et al.,Cognitive Therapy and Research, 37(1):97-108,2013) is a reliable, valid measure of positive self-schemas. A five-factor structure corresponding to five self-schema themes was found. The self-schema theme of optimism was broadly related to several mental health indicators, while worthiness and self-efficacy were uniquely associated with depression and resilience, respectively. These findings may help to inform improved theoretical models of positive self-schemas and on-campus mental health promotion efforts and interventions.