Abstract

This study examined how resilience and community resilience moderate and mediate the relationship between perceived stress and mental health (depression, anxiety, and anger) among adults in their 20s during the COVID-19 pandemic. An on- line survey of 229 participants was analyzed using SPSS Windows software version 23.0 for descriptive and correlation statis- tics, while PROCESS Macro (version 3.3) was employed to assess the moderated mediation effects. The results indicated sig- nificant correlations among all variables, with resilience mediating the relationship between perceived stress and mental health. Community resilience significantly moderated the relationship between resilience and mental health. The moderated mediation effect was also significant, suggesting that community resilience influences how resilience mediates the effect of perceived stress on mental health. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening community resilience to enhance mental health outcomes. Based on the results, the study`s strengths, limitations, and suggestions were discussed.