To investigate the longitudinal relationship between integration strategy and perceived stress, as well as the mediating role of coping styles, 823 ethnic minority first-year students were recruited from a university in Yunnan. These participants completed the Chinese versions of the Perceived Stress Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and the Cultural Identity Attitude Scale at two time points separated by a 6-month interval. The results indicated that baseline integration strategy significantly and negatively predicted perceived stress at the 6-month follow-up assessment. However, baseline perceived stress did not predict subsequent integration strategy. Furthermore, coping styles significantly mediated the relationship between integration strategy and perceived stress. These findings suggest that adopting an integration strategy is beneficial for reducing perceived stress among ethnic minority first-year students. This study provides empirical support for promoting both the mental health of ethnic minority students and ethnic unity education.

integration strategy, psychological acculturation, perceived stress, coping styles, longitudinal mediation