Exploration on the Construction of the Theoretical System and the Practical Logic of Mental Health Education in Colleges and Universities under the "Five Interlocking Rings" Education Model

Abstract

Guided by the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education and the goal of promoting students' all-round development, the fundamental and strategic role of mental health education in colleges and universities has become increasingly prominent. Based on the theoretical underpinnings of collaborative governance theory, ecosystem theory, and positive psychology concepts, this paper systematically constructs and theoretically explains a "Five Interlocking Rings" education model for mental health education in colleges and universities, which centers on the five pillars of "establishing mechanisms, strengthening teams, building platforms, emphasizing services, and creating characteristics". Through the in-depth integration and coordinated drive of five core links—system guarantee, team empowerment, carrier creation, service optimization, and characteristic refinement—this model aims to build a mental health education ecosystem featuring "full participation, whole-process coverage, and all-round integration". Research shows that the "Five Interlocking Rings" model provides a universal theoretical framework and practical path for addressing bottleneck issues in college mental health education, such as insufficient systematicness, lack of coordination, and inadequate precision. It also offers important implications for enhancing the scientificity, systematicness, and effectiveness of mental health education initiatives in colleges and universities.