Abstract:Objective To explore the relationship between perceived stress and mental healthn. Methods A total of 1 501 freshmen graduate students in Guangdong Medical University were surveyed using Chinese version of Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Learning Burnout Undergraduates Scale (LBUS) and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Results Perceived stress, academic burnout, and self-compassion were correlated with mental health (r = -0.48-0.74,P < 0.01). The mediating effect of academic burnout between perceived stress and mental health was significant (P < 0.001), accounting for 49.3% of overall effect. The moderating effect of self-compassion was remarkable between perceived stress and mental health (P < 0.001). Conclusion Academic burnout is a mediator between perceived stress and mental health, which is moderated by self-compassion.