Abstract:Objective To explore the mediating effect of perceived social support on depression and coping style in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Methods By convenient sampling, 285 SLE inpatients in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medcine from September 2018 to May 2020 were selected as the research objects. A survey was performed on them using general information questionnaire, perceived social support scale (PSSS),self-rating depression scale (SDS) and medical coping modes questionnaire (MCMQ). Results Depression in SLE patients was negatively correlated with the facing dimension of coping style (r=-0.503, P<0.01) and positively correlated with the dimension of avoidance and submission (r=0.386， P<0.01;r=0.404, P<0.01). Perceived social support was an intermediary variable between depression and coping styles in SLE patients. The indirect effects accounted for 37.18%, 34.81% and 43.42% of the total effects in the dimensions of facing, avoidance and yield of coping styles, respectively. Conclusions SLE patients have a relatively high level of depression. Medical staff should be give this group more psychological attention and support to help them understand the supports from family, friends and other aspects, and promote their active respond to the disease and improve their health status.