Transitioning from perceived stress to mental health: The mediating role of self-control in a longitudinal investigation with MRI scans.

Background: The neural mechanisms and long-term effects of perceived stress (PS) and self-control (SC) on mental health (MH) are not fully understood. This study seeks to investigate the influence of PS and SC on MH and to identify their neural correlates using fMRI.

Methods: A total of 817 college students participated in behavioral assessments, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Self-Control Scale (SCS), and Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF). Among them, 371 underwent fMRI scans to calculate zfALFF and whole-brain functional connectivity. Additionally, their behavioral measures were reassessed two years later.

Results: Longitudinal behavioral data revealed significant fixed effects of perceived stress and self-control on mental health. Perceived stress significantly predicted decreased mental health at Time 2, and self-control acted as a mediator in such relationship. The results of the behavioral and brain model analyses found that zfALFF in the right temporal region negatively predicted self-control. Functional connectivity between the right temporal region and the right precentral gyrus was also found to negatively predict self-control.

Conclusion: This study highlights the mediating role of self-control in the relationship between perceived stress and mental health. It also identifies specific brain regions and functional connectivity associated with self-control, providing new neurobiological evidence for mental health interventions.