This study explored the trajectories of Chinese college students' attitudes toward love from entering college to graduation, identifying influencing factors. Using a longitudinal survey dataset (2473 students over five years), descriptive, correlation, growth mixture modeling, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed. Results indicated three trajectory classes for romantic attitudes ("high-increasing," "low-decreasing," "low-increasing") and three for realistic attitudes ("high-increasing," "low-increasing," "high-decreasing"). Gender, major, extroversion, and hometown location influenced trajectory class membership. The study highlights the need for societal and college attention to these evolving attitudes and the provision of timely guidance.

Xinqiao Liu, Xinyu Ji, Yifan Zhang