The Influence of Junzi Personality on Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among Chinese University Students: A Variable-Centered and Person-Centered Perspective

Background : Tsze-lu asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, “The cultivation of himself in reverential carefulness.” “And is this all?” said Tsze-lu. “He cultivates himself so as to give rest to others,” was the reply (Analects 14.43). Rooted in traditional Chinese culture, Junzi personality embodies moral self-cultivation and social responsibility. Exploring such indigenous psychological resources is valuable for fostering character strengths and culturally responsive mental health education. This study examines the impact of university students’ Junzi personality and its heterogeneity on internalizing (anxiety, depression) and externalizing (aggressive behavior) problems. Methods : A sample of 2,022 Chinese undergraduates aged 18-22 years ( M = 18.59, SD = 1.59; 827 men, 40.9%) completed the Junzi Personality in Confucian Thought Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and the Interpersonal Trust Scale (ITS). Analyzed from variable-centered and person-centered approaches. Results : University students’ Junzi personality can directly predict internalizing problems (anxiety, depression) and externalizing problems (aggressive behavior), and also influences such problems through the independent and chain-mediating effects of subjective happiness and interpersonal trust.Furthermore, Junzi personality among university students exhibits heterogeneity and can be categorized into three distinct profiles: Self-Establishment type (27%), Self-Cultivation type (44.61%), and Peace-Making type (28.39%). The impact of Junzi personality profiles on internalizing and externalizing problems differs significantly ( p < 0.001). Specifically, the Self-Establishment type shows the highest levels of internalizing and externalizing problems, followed by the Self-Cultivation type, while the Peace-Making type demonstrates the lowest levels. Junzi personality profiles exhibit stronger predictive power for internalizing problems than for externalizing problems. Conclusion : This study reveals the mechanisms through which Junzi personality influences internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as the significant differences in these outcomes across distinct Junzi personality subgroups.University-based mental health education can integrate the concept of Junzi personality into culturally adapted intervention programs, empowering students’ positive development through the traditional wisdom of “cultivating oneself to give rest to others”.