Insights into entrepreneurship: impact of entrepreneur psychological capital and employee well-being on business sustainable performance during and post-Covid-19 era

Since Covid-19 is an enduring disease that pushed the world to reshape business strategies to overcome the unprecedented situations in all sectors such as the sports industry. Although substantial research has been carried out to inspect this phenomenon globally. Nevertheless, how entrepreneurial initiatives can contribute to tackling the situation is still lacking. This study attempts to uncover the relationships between entrepreneur psychological capital (EPC) and business sustainable performance (BSF). Second, this study strives to reveal the relationships between employee wellbeing (EWb) and BSP. In addition, education is treated as a moderating factor to unfold the relationships among factors, i.e., EPC, EWb, and BSF. Data were collected from eight hundred (n = 800) participants who were associated with the Chinese sports industry from March to July 2022. The results demonstrated interesting and fruitful findings based on SEM statistical model. First, a positive connection was found between EPC and BSF. Second, it found a positive link between EWb and BSF. Finally, the study highlighted a significant moderating impact of education among implicit relationships, i.e., EPC, EWb, and BSF. This study provides insights into entrepreneurship, entrepreneur psychological capital, and employee wellbeing on how it can optimize the performance of a business during and post-Covid-19 era. Besides, certain shortcomings along with future potential lines are reported for future researchers. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Role of authentic leadership in enhancing employees' voice behavior through psychological capital during COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: Considering the importance of employees' voice behavior (VB) and psychological capital (PC) amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this study highlights the role of authentic leadership (AL) in building a psychologically strong workforce that can provide meaningful suggestions for the improvement of organization. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a questionnaire survey to collect the data and recruited 261 participants from the telecom sector Sindh, Pakistan. The data analysis was done using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The findings of the study supported the hypotheses suggesting that AL can directly influence employees' VB and indirectly via PC. Originality/value: The study was conducted during the COVID-19 in the telecom sector of Sindh, Pakistan. This study contributes by providing useful insights into that AL is an important form of leadership that encourages employees' voluntary behavior and psychological strength during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Influence of quality of work life on psychological capital of organizational leaders using artificial neural networks: a study on learning in hybrid workplace

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted work, leading to the adoption of remote work practices and changes in power dynamics and trust. Although managing remote work has received much attention, the impact of the quality of work life on the effectiveness of hybrid workplaces has been less studied. This study aims to examine the relationship between quality of work life and psychological capital among organizational leaders using an artificial neural network (ANN) model. Design/methodology/approachThis study used a cross-sectional quantitative methodology. A structured questionnaire was used to collect 268 responses from organizational leaders using the convenience sampling method. The data collected were analyzed using the ANN model in the Python interface. FindingsThe ANN model training and testing revealed that there is a positive relationship between the quality of work life and psychological capital among organizational leaders. The R-squared values for hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism were 85.19%, 82.08%, 78.55% and 81.08%, respectively, in the training set, and 81.30%, 78.95%, 76.52% and 71.41% in the testing set. Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous research in the context of studying the relationship between quality of work life and psychological capital among organizational leaders using the machine learning approach - ANN model.

The antecedents of family firms' resilience to crisis in hospitality and tourism

Drawing on Miller and Le Breton-Miller's (2005 & 2022) conceptualization of family firms' priorities (continuity, community, connections, and command) and the organizational psychological capital theory (Luthans and Youssef, 2004), we develop a mediation model of how organizational psychological capital and family firm image affect resilience capability and risk taking (which in turn influence resilience). This model is tested on 200 family-owned small and medium sized (SME) hotels in Turkey. Our study demonstrates that intangible forces can be differentially leveraged to build resilience capability. This in turn strengthens resilience in firms confronting the Covid crisis. This paper further highlights that while the development of capabilities and strategic actions is important in generating firm resilience, the assets that are used to achieve this outcome matter the most. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

How Do Social Media Literacy, Psychological Capital and Work Engagement Influence the Employee Morale of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry?

This study aims to assess the employee morale (EM) in the hospitality and tourism industry through social media literacy (SML), psychological capital (PsC), and work engagement (WE). The study followed the deductive reasoning approach to examine the hypothesized associations. The structural equation modeling via SmartPLS3 was used to analyse the cross-sectional data which were collected through the convenience sampling method. Results showed that SML and PsC positively influenced WE, and WE predicted EM. WE partially mediates the influence of SML and PsC on EM. The moderating effect of age showed that young adults' social media literacy on WE significantly differs from old adults. However, no significant age difference between young and old is observed between PsC and WE. The study intends to develop a better comprehension of practitioners' insights of SML, PsC that may influence employees' WE and morale who have been working in hospitality and tourism industries. The strengths and limitations of the study are also documented for policymakers, academics, and future researchers. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

The missing HEROs: the absence of, and need for, PsyCap research of online university students

This research is a narrative critical literature review of the use of the PsyCap (psychological capital) model to study online university students' learning experiences in order to understand their persistence. PsyCap (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience and Optimism, abbreviated as HERO) has been proven an effective model of understanding the intrinsic characteristics that motivate working adults to persist in workplace excellence. Prior to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, working adults comprised the majority of the online university student population. Online programmes were formed and developed predominantly to serve their needs, yet these students struggle to persist and succeed. The PsyCap model used to understand their success in the workplace is underutilised in studying their success as online learners. Students' individual needs and expectations have transitioned from the baby boomer generational cohort to millennials and now entering Generation Z. This article synthesises the cross-section of literature canvassing online education, student generational cohort transitions and the use of the PsyCap model up to the present era. Results reveal that the changing psychological capacity of university students warrants further research of the PsyCap model with relation to online university student persistence. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Open Learning is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Pathway from interpersonal sensitivity to depression among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 campus lockdown.

BACKGROUND: Due to the continuous spread of the epidemic, some colleges and universities have implemented a campus lockdown management policy in China. In the context of the campus lockdown, this study aimed to explore whether anxiety mediated the association between interpersonal sensitivity and depression, and investigate whether psychological capital moderated the indirect or direct effect of mediation model. METHODS: A total of 12945 undergrad students were recruited in China from April 10 to 19, 2022. These participants were asked to complete the online questionnaires measuring interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, psychological capital, and depression. A moderated mediation model was examined by using PROCESS macro for SPSS 25.0, in which anxiety was a mediating variable, and psychological capital was a moderating variable. RESULTS: Interpersonal sensitivity was positively associated with depression among Chinese college students (r = 0.47, P < 0.001). Anxiety partially mediated the association between interpersonal sensitivity and depression (indirect effect = 2.31, 95%CI [2.18, 2.44], accounting for 70% of the total effect). Moreover, the interaction effect of interpersonal sensitivity and psychological capital on anxiety (ß = -0.04, t = -17.36, P < 0.001) and the interaction effect of anxiety and psychological capital on depression (ß = 0.002, t = 1.99, P < 0.05) were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The current study explained the mediation role of anxiety and the moderation role of psychological capital in the relation between interpersonal sensitivity and depression. The findings suggested that strict monitoring anxiety and promoting psychological capital may decrease the risk of depression among Chinese college students during the campus lockdown.

Psychological capital and alienation among patients with COVID-19 infection: the mediating role of social support.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 infection continues all over the world, causing serious physical and psychological impacts to patients. Patients with COVID-19 infection suffer from various negative emotional experiences such as anxiety, depression, mania, and alienation, which seriously affect their normal life and is detrimental to the prognosis. Our study is aimed to investigate the effect of psychological capital on alienation among patients with COVID-19 and the mediating role of social support in this relationship. METHODS: The data were collected in China by the convenient sampling. A sample of 259 COVID-19 patients completed the psychological capital, social support and social alienation scale and the structural equation model was adopted to verify the research hypotheses. RESULTS: Psychological capital was significantly and negatively related to the COVID-19 patients' social alienation (p < .01). And social support partially mediated the correlation between psychological capital and patients' social alienation (p < .01). CONCLUSION: Psychological capital is critical to predicting COVID-19 patients' social alienation. Social support plays an intermediary role and explains how psychological capital alleviates the sense of social alienation among patients with COVID-19 infection.

The mediating role of psychological capital in the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Although life satisfaction is a predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. This study examined how psychological capital (PsyCap), a positive psychological state, mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at three medical universities in China. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 583 students. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and PsyCap were measured anonymously. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to explore the effects of life satisfaction on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to examine how PsyCap mediates the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Life satisfaction was positively associated with PsyCap and its four components. There were significant negative associations between life satisfaction, psychological capital, resilience, optimism, and depressive and anxiety symptoms among medical students. Self-efficacy was negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Psychological capital (a×b = -0.3201, BCa 95% CI: -0.3899, -0.2446; a×b = -0.2749, BCa 95% CI: -0.3817, -0.1996), resilience (a×b = -0.2103, BCa 95% CI: -0.2727, -0.1580; a×b = -0.1871, BCa 95% CI: -0.2520, -0.1414), optimism (a×b = -0.2100, BCa 95% CI: -0.3388, -0.1150; a×b = -0.1998, BCa 95% CI: -0.3307, -0.0980), and self-efficacy (a×b = -0.0916, BCa 95% CI: 0.0048, 0.11629; a×b = 0.1352, BCa 95% CI: 0.0336, 0.2117) significantly mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms. LIMITATIONS: This was a cross-sectional study, and causal relationships between the variables could not be ascertained. Self-reported questionnaire instruments were used for data collection, which may have recall bias. CONCLUSIONS: Life satisfaction and PsyCap can be used as positive resources to reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological capital and its components (self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) partially mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and depressive symptoms, and completely mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, improving life satisfaction and investing in psychological capital (especially self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) should be included in the prevention and treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students. Additional attention is needed to pay for self-efficacy in such disadvantageous contexts.

The influence of organizational values on employee attitude and information security behavior: the mediating role of psychological capital

PurposeWith increased remote working, employers are concerned with employees' commitment and compliance with security procedures. Through the lens of psychological capital, this study aims to investigate whether strong organizational values can improve employees' commitment to the organization and security behaviors.Design/methodology/approachUsing Qualtrics platform, the authors conducted an online survey. The survey participants are college-educated, full-time employees. The authors used structural equation modeling to analyze 289 responses.FindingsThe results indicate perceived importance of organizational values is associated with increased organizational commitment and information security behavior. The authors find that psychological capital partially mediates these relations suggesting that employees' psychological capital effectively directs employees toward an affinity for the organization and information security behavior. The results highlight the importance of organizational values for improving security behavior and organizational commitment. Second, the results suggest that psychological capital is an effective mechanism for this influence. Finally, the authors find that individual differences (gender, organizational level and education) are boundary conditions on their findings, providing a nuanced view of their results and offering opportunities for further investigation.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to explore organizational values in relation to information security behaviors. In addition, this study investigates the underlying mechanism of this relationship by showing psychological capital's mediating role in this relationship. Therefore, the authors suggest organizations create a supportive environment that appreciates innovation, quality services, diversity and collaboration. Furthermore, organizations should communicate the importance of these values to their employees to motivate them to have a stronger affective commitment and a more careful set of security behaviors.

The relationship between the psychological capital of male individuals with drug abuse and relapse tendency: A moderated mediation model.

This study aims to explore the mechanism of psychological capital's influence on relapse tendency of drug addicts under the COVID-19, and construct a moderated mediation model. 977 individuals with drug addiction who come from a mandatory drug rehabilitation center in China completed the Chinese versions of Psychological capital Questionnaire, the Relapse Tendency Questionnaire,the Coping Style Questionnarie and the Life History Strategy Scale.The results showed that(1) there was a significant negative correlation between psychological capital and relapse tendency;(2)positive coping style mediated the relationship between psychological capital and relapse tendency;(3) life history strategy is an important moderator between psychological capital and positive coping style.These findings help us to better understand the impact of psychological capital and positive coping style on relapse tendency.

Psychological capital and organizational citizenship behavior among nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic: mediation of organizational commitment.

BACKGROUND: Nurses' organizational citizenship behavior, a spontaneous "altruistic work behavior", may be affected by psychological capital and organizational commitment, but its mechanism is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics and distribution of psychological capital, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior among nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic, and explore the mediating role of organizational commitment in psychological capital and organizational citizenship behavior. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 746 nurses from 6 designated hospitals for COVID-19 treatment in China. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and structural equation model were used in this study. RESULTS: Nurses' psychological capital, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior scores were 103.12 ± 15.57, 46.53 ± 7.14 and 101.47 ± 12.14, respectively. Additionally, organizational commitment partially mediates between psychological capital and organizational citizenship behavior. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses' psychological capital, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior were found to be at an upper-middle level, influenced by various social-demographic factors. Furthermore, the results illustrated that psychological capital can affect organizational citizenship behavior through the mediating role of organizational commitment. Therefore, the findings emphasize the importance of nursing administration to monitor and prioritize the mental health and organizational behavior of nurses during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. It is crucial to focus on developing and nurturing nurses' psychological capital, strengthening their organizational commitment, and ultimately promoting their organizational citizenship behavior.

Psychological capital, grit and organizational justice as positive strengths and resources among registered nurses: A path analysis.

AIM: To examine registered nurses' individual strengths (psychological capital and grit) and an organizational resource (organizational justice) as well as associated work-related outcomes. In a time of a global nursing shortage, there is an urgent need to identify strengths and resources that can have a positive impact on the health, well-being and retention of registered nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. METHODS: A nationwide convenience sample of 514 registered nurses responded to a survey. Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire between March and May 2018. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate path analysis. RESULTS: Participants rated their psychological capital and grit moderately high. Grit and organizational justice were found to have significant direct effects on psychological capital. Furthermore, psychological capital had positive direct effects on engagement and the perception of well-conducted everyday nursing as well as negative direct effects on burnout, the stress of conscience and the intent to leave the profession. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that nurse leaders and managers could consider improving registered nurses' well-being with two complementary approaches. It might be useful to reinforce positive, individual strengths, such as psychological capital, and at the same time create more favourable nursing work environments, for example by strengthening organizational justice. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: Psychological capital and grit are emerging concepts in nursing workforce research. Identifying registered nurses' positive strengths and resources is important for inventing interventions that enhance nurses' engagement and well-being as well as reduce turnover intentions. IMPACT: Nurse leaders and managers play crucial roles in managing and developing registered nurses' individual strengths and organizational resources. This has gained even more importance now as the COVID-19 pandemic could have a long-term negative impact on nurses' well-being. REPORTING METHOD: The study is reported following STROBE guidelines. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

The challenges and experiences of academics supporting psychological capital among students at the emergence of COVID-19: A qualitative investigation of award-winning educators at a British university.

BACKGROUND: Studies show that student mental health has continued to deteriorate over the years. Developing strengths-based approaches could aid educators in the development of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) and positive protective factors in students to support their mental well-being and aid in their success; however, little is known of the subject experience of educators who attempt this. AIMS: This study aims to understand the experience of award-winning educators; both in their attempts to cultivate positive protective factors in students and in challenges to the pursuit of that goal during the shifting academic landscape at the emergence of COVID-19. SAMPLE: Six award-winning educators from a British university. METHODS: Participants were interviewed over video calls in this research design using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: The results showed two major themes; pressures for academics and strength-based approached to cultivating PsyCap. These themes reflected that educators saw an urgent need for students to develop resilience as they struggle to handle subjective failure and that students struggle with imposter syndrome. The educators identified the challenges as feeling taken for granted, having unmanageable workloads along high expectations placed on them. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 has added significantly to the workloads of educators and demonstrated students' need for resilience. This research identifies the experiences of educators trying to improve strengths-based practice while identifying the challenges of pursuing that goal in the changing pedagogy post-COVID-19.

Paper Investigating the Effects of Psychological Capital on Evidence-based Clinical Practice of Nurses in Dealing With COVID-19 Patients: The Mediating Role of Psychological Security

Objectives Given the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effects on social psychological health, especially nurses, psychological empowerment of nurses can increase their psychological security and improve their clinical performance during critical situations. This study aims to investigate the relationship between nurses' psychology capital and their clinical performance, with a focus on the intermediary role of psychological security while facing COVID-19 patients.Methods This was a descriptive-analytical study. A total of 100 nurses (from 114 nurses) employed in the COVID-19 section of Amir-Al-Momenin Hospital in Arak City, Iran, were selected via the convenience sampling method. The data collection was done using three questionnaires: Luthan's psychological capital questionnaire, perceived psychological questionnaire, and evidence-based questionnaire. To analyze the data and confirm the fitness of the tools, we used the confirmatory factor analysis with partial least square via the Smart PLS3 softwareResults The findings indicated significant relationships based on the theoretical model among the studied variables. The standard beta for the relationship between psychological capital and clinical performance decreased from 0.684 to 0.507 which given its statistical significance shows the insignificant intermediary role of psychological security.Conclusion Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that nurses who benefit from higher psychological capital are more aware of their psychological capabilities. The positive effects of this awareness lead to better performance in challenging and critical situations.

Research Paper: Investigating the Role of Empathy in Psychological Capital Impact on Stress Caused by Contracting COVID-19 in Nurses: A Case Study of Nurses of Tehran Oil Hospital

Background: Rapid transmission and sudden outbreak of new coronavirus have caused widespread stress among the community and treatment staff. Regarding the consecutive peaks of the disease, its persistence stress, in the long run, creates destructive effects and leads to physical weakness and psychological complications. Hence, the present study seeks to find proper ways to promote psychological capital and reduce the stress of contracting COVID-19 with the mediating role of empathy. Materials and Methods: The present research was an applied and analytical study. It is a cross-sectional study conducted in 2020. The study's statistical population comprised 510 nurses working in Tehran Oil Industry Hospital. Using a simple random sampling method and Krejcie and Morgan table, a sample of 160 was selected. The data collection tool was a standard questionnaire whose validity and reliability have been confirmed. For data analysis, we used the structural equation modeling method and the Pearson correlation test to examine the relationship between variables. Results: The findings showed the significant and direct effect of psychological capital on empathy and a significant inverse impact of both empathy and psychological capital on the stress of contracting COVID-19 in nurses. The mediating role of empathy in the relationship between psychological capital and contracting COVID-19 stress was also confirmed. Conclusion: Accordingly, by promoting the components of psychological capital in nurses, the hospital managers can prepare them for daily stress during the coronavirus epidemic. Also, by strengthening the empathy indicators in employees along with psychological capital, the tensions related to this disease can be overcome more than ever. © 2022, Negah Institute for Scientific Communication. All rights reserved.

Does Workplace Spirituality Increase Self-Esteem in Female Professional Dancers? The Mediating Effect of Positive Psychological Capital and Team Trust

Based on the self-transcendence theory and immaturity-maturity theory, this study empirically tested the influence of female professional dancers' workplace spirituality on positive psychological capital, team trust, and self-esteem. The subjects of this study were female professional dancers. We conducted the surveys in two countries—the United States and the United Kingdom—and ultimately obtained 441 samples. To test the hypotheses, we performed a structural equation model analysis using three statistical programs: SmartPLS, GSCA Pro, and jamovi. (1) The workplace spirituality of female professional dancers showed a statistically significant positive influence on positive psychological capital, team trust, and self-esteem. (2) The positive psychological capital of female professional dancers showed a statistically significant positive influence on team trust and self-esteem. (3) The team trust of female professional dancers showed a statistically significant positive influence on self-esteem (except when using jamovi). This study found that fostering workplace spirituality was paramount for female professional dancers in an organization. Accordingly, we outlined four recommendations for the organizations: (1) convey the importance of the organization's mission and values to organizational members;(2) increase each organizational member's decision-making and autonomy;(3) encourage members to cooperate while working in the domains of their specific positions;and (4) discourage members from neglecting their organizational responsibilities and resorting to egoism.

The role of authentic leadership on healthcare Street-Level Bureaucrats' well-being during the pandemic

This study uses Conservation of Resources Theory, to explain Street-Level Bureaucrats' (SLBs) workplace behavioural responses to threats to their well-being. We examine whether authentic leadership within street-level organisations positively impacts employee well-being by increasing SLBs' perception of personal resources, and reducing their perceptions of work harassment. The research design comprises a survey that solicited quantitative and qualitative data from 163 healthcare SLBs working in Australian hospitals during the pandemic in April 2020. Analysis of the means indicates low levels of satisfaction with leadership and low levels of well-being for SLBs. The structural equation modelling findings show that poor leadership is associated with higher levels of work harassment and lower levels of employee well-being. Qualitative data support these findings. As healthcare workers were already listed as over-represented in the stress-related workers compensation statistics, one strategy may be to improve the level of organisational support by upskilling managers in authentic leadership behaviours with the aim of increasing their perception of support so as to increase employee well-being. This will benefit employees and their families, and the community they service. Points for practitioners: Street-Level Bureaucrats (SLBs) have been increasingly experiencing the public sector gap (demand outstripping supply of resources) because of the dominance of the austerity-driven managerialist paradigm. The recent COVID-19 crisis amplified the severity and impact of the public sector gap causing increased perceptions of work harassment and reductions in SLBs' well-being. However, SLBs with high levels of Psychological Capital had a natural buffer in place to protect their well-being, and as such, they perceived less work harassment and erosion of their well-being. The way forward is to complement the austerity-driven managerialist paradigm in management decision-making with authentic leadership behaviours focused on maximising the well-being of SLBs and the public. © 2023 The Authors. Australian Journal of Public Administration published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Effects of interpersonal sensitivity on depressive symptoms in postgraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychological capital and sleep quality as mediators.

Background: This study aimed to examine depressive symptoms associated with interpersonal sensitivity, sleep quality, and psychological capital among postgraduate students during static campus management after the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Methods: Research data were obtained during static campus management (10-19 April 2022) after the reappearance of COVID-19 in cities in eastern China. We collected data through an online questionnaire, and the anonymous self-reported questionnaire included the Patient Health Questionnaire, the interpersonal sensitivity subscale of Symptom Checklist-90, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. analysis of variance was performed using t-test and ANOVA. The PROCESS macro was used to determine the relationship between interpersonal sensitivity and depression, together with the independent and serial mediating role of psychological capital and sleep quality. Results: A total of 2,554 postgraduate students were included in this study. The prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe depressive symptoms was 30.97, 6.58, and 1.45%, respectively. Interpersonal sensitivity was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (direct effect = 0.183, p < 0.001). Between interpersonal sensitivity and depressive symptoms, psychological capital and sleep quality played a single mediating role (indirect effect = 0.136 and 0.100, p < 0.001, respectively) and a chain mediating role together (indirect effect = 0.066, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Interpersonal sensitivity has a significant influence on depression among Chinese graduate students. Psychological capital and sleep quality may not only independently mediate the relationship between interpersonal sensitivity and depression, but also co-play a chain-mediating role in the pathway from interpersonal sensitivity to depression. Positive psychological interventions and sleep guidance may be beneficial in alleviating depressive symptoms.