The Predictive Role of Anxiety Symptoms in the Psychological Health Adaptation among At-Risk University Freshmen: A Cross-Lagged Network Analysis

University freshmen encounter numerous psychological health challenges during their adaptation to college life, with anxiety symptoms being a pervasive and critical risk factor. Despite recognition of anxiety's impact, the specific dynamic predictive pathways by which anxiety symptoms interact within the symptom network and influence freshmen's psychological adaptation are not yet fully elucidated. This study aimed to elucidate the dynamic predictive patterns and central role of anxiety symptoms within the psychological health adaptation of at-risk freshmen using cross-lagged network analysis. A cohort of 720 at-risk freshmen from a university in Shandong Province, China, was assessed at two time points: one week after enrollment (T1) and seven months later (T2), utilizing the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Data were analyzed using R-Studio for network analyses and SPSS for descriptive statistics. Results from cross-sectional network analysis revealed that Anxiety Item 78 ("Feeling restless or fidgety") consistently exhibited the highest bridge centrality alongside other key symptoms, indicating its prominent position and significant bridging role within the symptom network. Crucially, cross-lagged network analysis further demonstrated that Anxiety Item 78 consistently displayed the strongest predictive influence on subsequent symptom activation across time (from T1 to T2), highlighting its unique dynamic predictive value within the freshman psychological adaptation symptom network. These findings provide novel and specific insights into the temporal dynamics of anxiety symptoms in freshmen's psychological adaptation, particularly emphasizing the critical predictive role of "feeling restless or fidgety’. These findings offer concrete guidance for the early identification of at-risk freshmen and hold substantial practical significance for developing more precise and effective mental health intervention strategies for this population.