How counselors' and college students' mental health are linked: Counselor empathy and student family structure

The mental well-being of college counselors may fundamentally shape the effectiveness of student support services. In this study we investigated the mechanism linking counselors' mental health to college students' mental health, examining the mediating role of counselors' empathy and the moderating role of students' family structure. We analyzed data obtained from a survey conducted with 248 counselor–student dyads in Chinese colleges. Results revealed that counselors' empathy mediated the positive relationship between counselors' and students' mental health. Furthermore, students' family structure moderated this indirect pathway. These findings highlight that counselors' psychological well-being is a crucial resource that predicts student outcomes through relational empathy, particularly for students who are members of a single-parent family. This underscores the importance of supporting counselor well-being and adopting personalized approaches in college mental health services.