This longitudinal study examines the relationships between positive mental health (life satisfaction, self-esteem, purpose in life, and sense of hope) and general psychological symptoms in a sample of Chinese adolescents (N = 378) at two time periods. Results showed that: (a) measures of positive mental health were concurrently related to general psychological symptoms at Time 1 and Time 2; (b) longitudinal and prospective analyses revealed that positive mental health and general psychological symptoms predicted each other across time; and (c) no obvious gender differences in the strengths of association between positive mental health and general psychological symptoms were found. Multiple regression analyses further showed that relative to life satisfaction and hopelessness, self-esteem and purpose in life exerted a stronger influence on psychological morbidity over time.

Key words: positive mental health, psychiatric symptoms, Chinese adolescents, longitudinal study