





































Education, Language and Sociology Research 

ISSN 2690-3644 (Print) ISSN 2690-3652 (Online) 

Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

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9 
 

Original Paper 

Research on the Psychological Growth Path of College Students 

from the Perspective of Discontinuity and Balance Theory 

Yingnan Nie1, Zifei Meng2, Jiayi Wang3 & Manhong Liu4* 

1 College of Economics and Management, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China 

2 Business School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia 

3 Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia  

4 College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China 

* Correspondence: Manhong Liu, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 

Harbin, China. Email: manhong@nefu.edu.cn 

 

Received: March 2, 2024         Accepted: March 25, 2024      Online Published: April 9, 2024 

doi:10.22158/elsr.v5n2p9          URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/elsr.v5n2p9 

 

Funding Information 

This paper is a research outcome of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Special 

Project for Ideological and Political Work, Class B, with project number (2572021BX03). 

 

Abstract 

Mental health education is an integral component of ideological and political education, serving as a 

cornerstone in promoting campus harmony and stability. From the discontinuity and balance theory 

perspective, the agenda setting is closely intertwined with pertinent psychological policies, 

implementation strategies, and pathways for psychological growth. By attending to the psychological 

growth issues and information of college students sequentially, ideological and political workers 

collaborate with psychology experts, we-media platforms, as well as relevant psychological 

organizations and associations to collectively influence policy-making processes while promoting policy 

development changes and enhancing the effectiveness of policy implementation. Empirical research 

findings systematically demonstrate that the mental growth status of college students exhibits positive 

correlations with variables such as their emotional difficulties, carriers for disseminating psychological 

work propaganda, peer counselors’ working modes, ripple effects from network hot events, and learning 

outcomes from online courses. This paper explores practical endeavours and innovative attempts 

towards constructing an atmosphere conducive to mental health education, promoting equilibrium within 

psychological educational policies, and enhancing educational outcomes for college students.  



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Keywords 

Discontinuity-balance, college students, psychological growth 

 

1. Introduction 

Since the early 20th century, developed countries in the West have embarked on systematic investigations 

into the essential nature and achievement correlation of mental health education for students in higher 

educational institutions, leading to the formation of a comprehensive academic discipline. As China has 

progressed through its socialist modernization, there has been a gradual but firm shift towards valuing 

the psychological health management of university students. Scholars have increasingly focused on the 

study of mental health education for university students, prompting a detailed examination and synthesis 

of such research. 

This research synthesis was conducted using the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) 

platform, with searches performed on the Chinese Social Science Citation Index (CSSCI). By searching 

titles, topics, and other relevant fields, keywords such as mental health education for university students, 

psychological cultivation, and mental health were combined to conduct a comprehensive search. The 

search covered the period from 2013 to December 31, 2023, resulting in a collection of 498 relevant 

articles. Subsequent to the selection process and the removal of duplicates, bibliographic data was 

exported using CNKI’s functionality, and further analyzed using the Citespace software for bibliometric 

analysis. This process culminated in the creation of visual analyses of keyword clustering and keyword 

timeline mappings, revealing shifts in the research themes of mental health education in Chinese 

universities over the past decade. 

 

 

Figure 1. Keyword Clustering 



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From the keyword timeline mapping, it is evident that mental health education in universities transitioned 

from an initial combination of medical and educational approaches to explorations of experiential 

learning by experts, gradually moving towards a holistic mental health education framework 

characterized by innovation and the comprehensive cultivation of individuals. 

The empirical analysis of the current state of student growth within universities from the perspective of 

Discontinuity-Equilibrium Policy Theory, which looks at the progress and existing challenges within the 

psychological education process from multiple dimensions and in a comprehensive manner, underscores 

the need for ideologically and politically engaged workers and policy theorists to collaboratively assess 

feasible policy pathways for fostering psychological growth among university students. This represents 

a critical issue requiring joint deliberation. 

 

 

Figure 2. Timeline of Keywords 

 

2. Integration of Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory in Student Psychological Development 

2.1 Foundations of Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory in Evolutionary and Policy Contexts 

The Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory, proposed by biologists Eldredge and Gould in 1972 to study 

paleobiological evolution, was later adapted in 1993 by American scholars Baumgartner and Jones for 

policy change research. The evolution of mental health among university students in China progresses 

alongside the advancement of higher education, with the development and implementation of mental 

health education policies reflecting a blend of empirical judgments and emotional preferences, a product 

of changing times. During the initial phase of economic reform and opening-up, economic development 

was prioritized, leaving the construction and policy support for mental health relatively unexplored. 



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However, by the early 21st century, as economic development reached a certain level, a blueprint for 

mental health education work among university students began to emerge. The issuance of successive 

regulatory documents on mental health education marked key drivers of policy change, enhancing 

positive feedback mechanisms and aligning new policy landscapes more closely with practical work 

realities. 

2.1.1 Application of Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory in Shaping Mental Health Education Policies 

The Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory posits that agenda setting involves the process of prioritizing 

certain issues and information. The policy landscape and its effects differ across various policy-making 

contexts, which can be classified into subsystem politics and macro-politics, representing a state of 

equilibrium induced by institutionalized structures. Leveraging the Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory, 

the Ministry of Education issued “Opinions on Strengthening Ideological and Political Education of 

Students in Higher Education Institutions” in 1980, prompting universities to explore diverse and 

multifaceted approaches to ideological and political education. However, policy guidance on the 

psychological health dimension was not yet developed. Entering the 21st century, the massification and 

popularization of higher education in China significantly altered public thought, leading to the Ministry 

of Education’s 2001 issuance of “Opinions on Strengthening Mental Health Education Work for 

University Students,” the first specialized document to promote mental health education within 

universities, incorporating it into the domain of moral education and establishing the concept of 

developmental mental health education. Subsequent joint issuances by the Ministry of Education, 

Ministry of Health, and the Communist Youth League in 2005 emphasized the importance of 

strengthening the mental health education workforce within universities. The national effort to implement 

these guidelines led to the appointment of dedicated psychological teachers, with Central South 

University of Forestry and Technology appointing Yuan Hong in 2005 as its sole dedicated psychological 

teacher at that time. The “Basic Standards for Mental Health Education Work for Students in Regular 

Higher Education Institutions” issued in 2011 called for a minimum of two dedicated psychological 

teachers per university, marking a fundamental shift in the policy landscape for university mental health 

work personnel. The 2018 notification by the Communist Party of China’s Education Ministry Group on 

“Guidelines for Mental Health Education of Students in Higher Education Institutions” specified a 

staffing ratio of no less than 1:4000 for dedicated teachers, outlining a more detailed framework for 

mental health education that includes education and teaching, practical activities, counseling services, 

and preventive interventions. Universities intensified their policy implementation efforts, initiating 

personalized institutional explorations aligned with the developmental characteristics of university 

students, such as Northeast Forestry University’s active exploration of a distinctive peer counselor system 

to promote the development of mental health education. The 2021 “Notice on Strengthening the 

Management of Student Mental Health” further emphasized the theoretical knowledge learning aspect, 

specifying that the curriculum for compulsory public mental health courses should achieve 32-36 hours 

of instruction. The “Comprehensive Strengthening and Improvement of New Era Student Mental Health 



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Work Special Action Plan (2023–2025)” issued in 2023 marked a transition from a professionalized to 

an innovative approach to policy development, focusing on optimizing social psychological services and 

introducing innovative educational content in aesthetics education. 

2.1.2 Influence of Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory on Policy Formation for Student Psychological 

Development 

Based on the Discontinuity-Equilibrium Theory, a stable policy paradigm and landscape rely on a unified 

theory of values, a stable institutional structure, and a consistent policy outlook. The introduction of 

psychological policies in universities is determined by the developmental laws of university students’ 

growth and the current state of the industry, featuring both positive and negative feedback effects.  

 

 

Figure 3. Framework for Psychological Growth of University Students under the Discontinuity-

Equilibrium Theory 

 

The policy landscape, the foundation of policy existence, is a hybrid of empirical information and 

emotional demands, indicating that it encompasses both empirical descriptions of objective facts and 

elements of emotional evaluation. The evolution of mental health-related policies for university students 

is progressive, with initial requirements for dedicated psychological work personnel in universities 

eventually increasing to two and then to a ratio of 1:4000, based on the collective strength of universities 

nationwide. 

 

3. Comprehensive Analysis of University Students’ Psychological Growth 

3.1 Overview and Methodology of the Psychological Growth Survey 

With the implementation of relevant policies, universities have gained a deeper understanding of mental 

health education, witnessing substantial transformations in this area. Research conducted across three 

institutions examined the current status of students’ psychological growth, the operation of mental health 



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education via social media, and the deployment of peer counselors for crisis intervention, revealing the 

following aspects. 

3.1.1 Strategies Employed by Students When Facing Psychological Difficulties 

When confronted with psychological stress, 67% of students chose to actively confront and resolve the 

pressure, while 33% opted to avoid stress, engage in self-denial, or indulge in behaviors leading to further 

demoralization. The presence of periodic exams requiring simultaneous preparation across different 

subjects within a short timeframe increases study pressure and demands high concentration, significantly 

altering students’ study habits and exacerbating stress levels. According to survey results, 15% chose 

professional psychological counseling to alleviate stress, 50% relied on self-regulation methods such as 

sleeping, listening to music, or using smartphones, 30% turned to friends and family for support, and 5% 

used other methods. 

3.1.2 Operation of University Mental Health Platforms on Social Media 

14% of students perceived their university’s mental health platform on social media as very popular, 51% 

as popular, 15% as moderately popular, 10% as unpopular, and another 10% as very unpopular. The 

survey indicated significant room for improvement in some universities’ psychological service units and 

their social media platforms: for instance, the originality of mental health education content was 

questionable, with some platforms resorting to non-educational reposting, leading to decreased 

engagement and concerning click-through rates. 

3.1.3 Crisis Intervention Methods by Peer Counselors  

24% of the surveyed students deemed it very important for peer counselors to actively intervene in crises, 

37% found it important, 18% considered it moderately important, and 21% thought it unimportant or 

very unimportant for peer counselors to engage in active crisis intervention. During the dissemination of 

mental health education, some students doubted the necessity or effectiveness of crisis intervention, 

associating it with being “mentally unhealthy” and thus opting to suppress their emotions rather than 

participate in psychological crisis interventions. These misconceptions pose barriers to the promotion 

and development of mental health education. 

 

4. Practical Approaches and Dissemination Paths for the Psychological Growth of University 

Students 

4.1 Focusing on the Growth of University Students, Extending the Dimension of Mental Health Education 

Through the Entire Chain 

As policies related to mental health education for university students are developed and implemented, 

there are varying degrees of change in the ways these students experience psychological growth. 

Given the interconnected nature of growth experiences, the work chain of psychological cultivation can 

be extended from a holistic perspective. This extension across the entire chain allows for a precise 

understanding of the laws of cultivation, reaching deep into the hearts of students, maintaining a focus 

on the dynamic growth of their mental health, teaching according to their individual needs, innovating 



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educational methods, and emphasizing differentiated and targeted approaches. This contributes to 

creating a favorable mental health education atmosphere, considered from the top-level policy design, 

prioritizing the core essence of ideological and political work, valuing the development of mental health 

education work, and laying a solid foundation through staffing, infrastructure, financial support, and 

learning from advanced experiences across multiple dimensions. 

4.2 Integrating Psychological Development in Holistic Educational Practices 

A side perspective reveals that the worldviews, societal views, and values of university students are 

formed during their academic journey, marking an inevitable process of psychological maturation and 

social adaptation. Universities are thus required to adhere to the principle of comprehensive education 

throughout the psychological practical education process. This orderly and scientific development 

process, integrated within the broader school environment, necessitates that university psychological 

practice courses cover the entire educational journey, offering programs suitable for different stages of a 

student’s life, enhancing students’ recognition of psychological practical education, and increasing their 

appreciation for psychological courses. 

4.3 Advancing University Mental Health Policies: Evolutionary Strategies and Comprehensive 

Implementation 

With the gradual improvement of the economic level and the allocation of educational resources, 

universities are placing greater emphasis on the work content of the student psychological cultivation 

module. The addition of more professional personnel, an increase in resources, gradual perfection of the 

course system, and the multidimensional integration of psychological cultivation have better 

implemented policies. Based on maximizing students’ agency, extensive coverage, multi-faceted 

collaboration, and combining internal and external forces, universities persist in integrating moral and 

psychological education, enhancing humanistic care and psychological guidance for students. This 

ensures the practical implementation of policy guidance on mental health education, aligns with the 

realities of each school, carries forward and develops the tradition of good brand activities, optimizes 

branding, and establishes a systematic policy-making mechanism. Such innovative educational ideas not 

only promote the comprehensive healthy development of students but also contribute to maintaining 

campus safety and stability, which is crucial for the country’s future development. 

 

Acknowledgement 

This paper is a research outcome of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Special 

Project for Ideological and Political Work, Class B, with project number (2572021BX03). 

 

 

 

 

 



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