“Investigating the Causal Relationship Between Academic Stress and its Impact on the

Mental Well-being of Young Adults: A Research Study”

NAME: IRUM NADEEM

ENROLLMENT NO: 2107673042

PROGRAM: BAPCH

STUDY CENTRE: NMKRV WOMEN'S COLLEGE – 13158

YEAR: 3 rd YEAR

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 PROFORMA FOR PROPOSAL OF SYNOPSIS FOR THE DISSERTATI

ENROLLMENT NO: 2107673042

NAME AND ADDRESS OF LEARNER:. IRUM NADEEM, 54, 5th cross, Williams Town
Extn, Bangalore, KARNATAKA

PHONE NO: 9108613796

COURSE CODE: BPCE–144

EMAIL ID: [email protected]

STUDY CENTRE: NMKRV WOMEN'S COLLEGE –13158

TITLE OF DISSERTATION: INVESTIGATING THE CASUAL RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN ACADEMIC STRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE MENTAL WELL-BEING
OF YOUNG ADULTS

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IRUM NADEEM

( Signature of student)

Date: 15/7/24

Synopsis (put a tick mark as appropriate):

a) Approved (As per the guidelines)

b) Not approved (Not as per the guidelines)

Signature of Academic Counsellor Name:

Designation:

Address:

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 INTRODUCTION

The concept of Academic pressure and its contribution to the stress and anxiety faced by
students and young adults is a universally acknowledged phenomenon that permeates across
every educational institution, thus making it an issue of significance and topic of interest
amongst behavioural researchers and social scientists.
Therefore this dissertation endeavours to investigate the relationship between academic stress
and its effect on the mental health and well being of young adults.

Mental well-being, especially in an educational context, is a matter of utmost importance and

must be handled with absolute care,a core aspect of academia is the stress that is associated
with it and therefore it cannot, objectively speaking, be completely avoided.
The intention of this study is to highlight the mental state of those students currently dealing
with academic pressures, and provide a cohesive outlook on how it can be understood,
acknowledged and managed.

When handling stress, academic or otherwise a number of elements come into play,
individual dispositions being a primary one of these factors that directly or indirectly dictate
how well a person is able to manage his or her stress, some people are endowed genetically to
better handle heightened levels of cortisol whilst others struggle with managing their anxiety
when faced by pressure or stress of some sort.

The world health organisation defines mental health as; “A state of well-being in which the
individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively and fruitfully and is able to contribute to his or her community”.

Mental well-being therefore refers to a state of mental, emotional and psychological stability,
it is the ability to manage emotions, respond appropriately and behave in a socially and
psychologically appropriate manner.
Any disruptions to this state of mental harmony are known as stressors, these stressors
aggravate or disturb the individual's composure and could lead to a brief period of mental
unwellness. Academic pressures being one significant contributor to this mental disquietude.

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The urban dictionary defines academic pressure as: Academic stress is mental pressure
installed onto the student's brain due to overload of excess and unnecessary heaping up of
educational obligations and high parental expectations.

Thus academic pressure is a direct cause and contributor to a number of mental health
problems and psychological disorders that upset and disturb the individual's state of mental
well-being Prior to delving on the the consequences of academic pressures, in order to better
understand the students’ mental state it is important to list a number of causes responsible for
generating academic stress;

– overload of assignment: an excess of college related assignments, essays and compositions

only succeed in increasing the mental duress of an already mentally fatigued student, this
subsequently leads to missing deadlines, submitting subpar work, lack of motivation and
ultimately to failing a grade.

– unstable family life: students from both school and college coming from erratic and
unbalanced home environments tend to display higher levels of anxiety and stress when
dealing with academic obligations as compared to their peers who come from more
emotionally stable and secure backgrounds.

– unreasonable expectations: another principal cause of academic frustration stems from

placing disproportionate or inflexible academic expectations on young adults, this constant
pressure mostly comes from parents, professors and other authoritative figures. The
overwhelming need to accomplish those expectations and the overarching dismay when one
fails to achieve them naturally leads to frustration, anger, anxiety and restlessness.

– constant exams and tests: the tension and anxiety that precedes an examination is
oftentimes a very natural ramification of exams and tests. However when the student is

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ill-prepared, unwell or simply hasn't been counselled or tutored enough than the Paranoia and
stress associated with sitting an exam is enhanced and could result in the student having a
panic attack, deliberately missing the exam, and in the most devestating case; committing
suicide.

The above four are a fraction of the causes responsible for academic pressure and the fervent
compulsion to exceed academically and prove themselves to those who hold them to these
outrageous standards. This constant scramble to outdo themselves, stamp out competition and
win the hustle culminates more often than not in mental overload, cognitive fatigue and
frustration, Which invariably opens the door to a number of psychological disorders and
mental health issues.

Most students, when caught up in the midst of their studies and academic obligations, tend to
neglect or ignore its implications on their psychological health until it begins to interfere and
obstruct their ability to function normally and perform their daily activities. This mostly is the
point where they begin to notice or become aware of the effect that their academic workload
has had on them. Some psychological disorders that appear as a result of excessive academic
pressure are:

– Anxiety: the persistent feeling of agitation and disquietude could be described as anxiety, a
condition that one too many students suffer with, anxiety as a result of academic obligations
is characterised by a number of symptoms such as stress, low appetite, high appetite, rapid
heart rate, increased perspiration and a perpetual sense of dread. When an individual is placed
under a lot of pressure it naturally leads to an increase in cortisol levels therefore making the
student more prone to stress and anxiety. Disproportionate amounts of anxiety can have a
debilitating effect on the student’s day to day life, some examples include; chronic fatigue,
mental fog, lack of motivation, irrational fears, constant irritation and excessive worrying,
these symptoms when left untreated can have severe implications and could acutely impair
the individual's quality of life.

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–Eating disorders/ED: ED or Eating disorders are a number of serious mental health disorders
characterised by abnormal and atypical eating behaviours,these when left untreated can
seriously impact the psychological well-being of the suffering individual. Some common
types of ED are: Bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, avoidant
restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and rumination disorder to name a few. Oftentimes
excessive academic pressure can lead to a student developing ED and thus forming an
unhealthy and obsessive relationship with food or eating, unfortunately, developing an eating
disorder invariably opens the gates to a number of other psychological issues such as
obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression.

Depression: the clinical term for depression is known as major Depressive disorder or MDD,
this condition when left untreated is an extremely serious and crippling mental health issue.
Depression fundamentally speaking detrimentally influences an individual's emotions thus
leading to feelings of melancholy, gloom and despair. This in turn results in the person
becoming unmotivated, lethargic and unresponsive to the challenges of every day. Studies
have shown there to be a marked correlation between academic pressure and depression,
chronic stress developed due to an influx of academic obligations tend to sooner than later
advance to some form of Depressive disorder resulting in the student becoming academically
unmotivated, socially withdrawn, spiritless and apathetic in nature.
The above constitute the most severe repercussions of academic stress however there are
numerous other psychological disorders and issues that can be developed as a result of
academic pressure.

Therefore in order to alleviate or rectify the dire effects of academic overload a number of
counteractive responses must be taken, one such remedial measure is cognitive behavioural
therapy or CBT, CBT when administered expertly can be extremely effectual in mitigating
the mental restlessness and tension cause by academic obligations. CBT, primarily helps a
person to deal with their problems in a more effective manner. According to Kendra cherry
from very well mind, CBT seeks to identify and break negative thought patterns that causes
an individual to respond in a dissident or unfavourable manner which in the long term does
not resolve or untangle the issue at hand.

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 Review of literature

Evidence accumulated over the years has shown there to be a strong correlation between
academic pressure and poor mental health. Multiple research endeavours over the years have
successfully accumulated concrete evidence showing there to be a conclusive link between
academic pressure and poor mental performance (Rakhi Dewangan, Basant Kumar Sonber,
Ahlad Modi, 2023)

In a study carried out by Pakistani researchers; mussarat Jabeen Khan G., Seema Altaf and
Hafsa Kausar focusing on the “effect of perceived academic stress on student's performance”
the study sample consisted of 150 consenting university students (75 males and 75 females)
who were asked to respond to a number of structured questions as a method of estimating the
influence of variables such as gender, age, financial status and family background on
academic performances, the study established a definite correlation between mental stress and
poor academic performance.

Another similar research paper headed by Dr Loren M. Hill (navigating higher education with
purpose ) where she writes on how academia whilst being intrinsically rewarding can lead to
circumstances involving mental fatigue, burnout and feelings of exhaustion, anxiety and
isolation. Dr hill goes on to provide a number of countermeasures that could alleviate or
manage the stress caused by various academic obligations these are; seeking support in the
form of familial relations, community and therapy, prioritising one's own need, forming
boundaries and limits, inculcating hobbies and beneficial habits and maintaining healthy
social relationships.

Similarly Robert Lazarus (Folkman and Lazarus, 1985) conducted a study in which they
postulated that stress plays a critical role in changing an individual's emotional state which
occurs after assessing or "interpreting" a particular situation

On the subject of academic pressure one overarching question pertaining to gender and
whether it has any effect on academic stress remains. Das and Sahoo (ravenshaw university,
2012) investigated the association between stress, gender and depression, and found there to

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be no significant disparity in levels of stress encountered by males and females rather it was
concluded that gender had a crucial role in determining the probability of depression
experienced by the two genders with males displaying higher tendencies of being affected.

A research paper by Lin, Huang and yun-chen (2014) studied the negative influence of stress
on learning and found higher levels of academic burnout and personal stress in seniors and
female students. Further cementing the notion that personal stress is affected by academic
pressure and vice-versa.

In a research study by Georgia Barbayannis et al. (2022) Established significant correlation

between unwarranted academic pressure and poor psychological health. Their research
assessed 843 university students in order to investigate if their mental health was impacted by
academic stress. In conclusion the findings of the study established the presupposition that
academic stress is strongly related to emotional well-being and psychological health.

Study by ( KM Tahsin Kabir et.al, 2924) highlights the exhaustive impact of Academic
pressure on students' mental health with reports of burnout, anxiety and psychological duress.
The research further found dramatic alterations in the students daily habits such as sleeping,
eating, socialising and more due to an influx of academic overload.

The significance of sleep as a crucial factor to academic performance and psychological

well-being is an irrefutable fact that is more often than not undermined.
“The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep”
(Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep, 2017)
“the best way to maximise performance on final exams is to both study and get a good night
of sleep”. (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2017)
A study by sleep scientist Matthew walker found that mid-morning siestas can help in
memory retention and dramatically improve recollective capabilities in college students. (
Matthew walker PhD, 2017)
inadequate sleep therefore has a detrimental effect on the cognitive abilities and functional
capacities of students (L. Epstein, MD, 2014)

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On the subject of psychiatric disorders recent studies have shown that certain individuals are
more prone to psychological issues such as depression and anxiety when compared to others.
One such notable theory; the cognitive diathesis for depression (Alloy 1988) proposes that
individuals who possess certain behavioural traits are more likely to develop some form of
Depressive disorder, these traits are defined as diathesis and emerge during childhood.

Recent studies have indicated a strong positive correlation between physical activity and
academic performance. Working out has been found to not only be beneficial in an
anatomical or physiological sense but that it additionally dramatically improves cognitive
abilities, memory retention and learning capacities. (Hillman et al., 2008)

One such study focusing on the effect of physical exercise on academic achievement was
carried out by Chinese researchers (shuang du et al., 2023) on a group of 2,229
undergraduates to determine the effect of physical activity on academic performance.
Research findings concluded that regular exercise has a strong association with enhancing
academic performance.

In a study comparing the effect of stressors on American and Korean University students
(Jung Oh et al., 2011) the stressors used for both groups included; finances, academic
objectives, basic requirements and familial expectations, research findings indicated lower
stress responses from Korean students and a higher reports of stressors from American
students across all areas.

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A brief literature review revealed a significant need for an investigation on the subject of
academic pressure and its effect on mental well-being, especially in young adults.
Recognising these gaps in inquiry, this researcher aims to re-examine the concept of
academic pressure and its irrefutable impact on the psychological health of students. The
objective of this study is to redirect attention on the matter of academic stress and the
effect it influences on the mental well-being of young people, with the underlying hope to
bring about some form of awareness and recognition to a vastly crucial issue that could, if
neglected, lead to grave consequences.

Thus the intention of this study is to highlight the mental state of those students currently
dealing with academic pressures.

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 METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

To investigate the impact of academic pressure on the mental well-being of students. And to
what extent does academic stress negatively affect the psychological health of young adults

– OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH:

– To evaluate the relationship between academic pressure and poor mental health in students.

– To determine the existence of any comparative difference between the opposite genders’
reaction to academic pressure and its effect on them.

– Assess how much academic pressure impacts students' mental wellbeing.

–HYPOTHESIS:

With regard to the stated objectives, the following hypothesis will be contrived:

· There will be a significant correlation between academic pressure and its effect on mental
well-being

· There will be no significant correlation between academic pressure and it's effect on mental
well-being

– OPERATIONAL DEFINITION:

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–“Academic Stress. According to Dickson Adom, Joshua Chukwuere, and Mavis
Osei(2020), academic stress refers to a wide range of factors that cause tension, also
known as stressors, in educational institutions. These factors might be interpersonal,
intrapersonal, social,health-related, or environmental in nature, and they all obstruct
academic advancement”.

Therefore there exists a definite correlation between academic pressure, mental stress and
psychological well-being. (Travis et al., 2020)

– Mental well-being refers to a state of emotional and psychological stability,

“Psychological Well-being refers to the simple notion of a person's welfare, happiness,

advantages, interests, utility, and quality of life” (Burris, Brechting, Salsman, & Carlson,
2009).

– RESEARCH SAMPLE:

An intended sample of 60 young adults aged between 18-27 were employed for this study,
participants were equal halves male and female and belonged to varied religious affiliations,
class backgrounds and locations.

– RESEARCH DESIGN:

This study follows a quantitative approach in order to perform a comparative analysis on the
effect of academic pressure on the mental well-being of young adults.

– STATISTICAL TESTS:

A majorly employed statistical tool to measure academic pressure are the following:

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– Scientific questionnaire; consists of structured questions aimed to assess and collect
information regarding a specific subject or research problem

– The student Academic Stress Score (SASS): The Student Academic Support Scale (SASS)
measures how often college students seek academic help, how valuable they find it, and how
they prefer to receive it.

– The Likert scale model: the likert scale model is a statistical instrument designed record and
measure participants opinions or views

– The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale is an instrument that measures the degree of stress
experienced by an individual going through a significant life event.

–DATA ANALYSIS

The collected data is analysed using following statistical tests

1. Mean, standard deviation

2. Mann Whitney U test

3. Pearson's product moment correlation.

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 References

1 Dewangan, R., Sonber, B.K., & Modi, A. (2023) Relationship between Mental Health and
Academic Stress among Adolescents: A Critical Review. Mind and Society Vol. 12, no 2.

2 Khan, M. J., Altaf, S., & Kausar, H. (2013). Effect of perceived academic stress on
students’ performance. FWU Journal of Social Sciences, 7(2), 146-151.

3 Hill, L. M. (2023) How Academia can cause personal stress and what to do about it.

4 Folkman, S., and Lazarus, R. S. (1985). If it changes it must be a process: Study of emotion
and coping during three stages of a college examination. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology,

5 Das, P. P. P., & Sahoo, R. (2012). Stress and depression among postgraduate students.
International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2(7), 1-5.

6 Lin, Shu-Hui & Huang, Yun-Chen. (2013). Life stress and academic burnout. Active
Learning in Higher Education. 15. 77-90.

7. Barbayannis, G., Bandari, M., Zheng, X., Baquerizo, H., Pecor, K. W., & Ming, X. (2022).
Academic stress and mental well-being in college students: correlations, affected groups, and
COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology.

8 Kabir, K & Kabir, Md & Rassel, Mian & Sintheia, Tasnim & Tanvir, Kazi & Haq,
Mohamed & Nazera, Farzana & Raju, Valliappan. (2024). Reviewing Impacts of Academic
Pressure on Mental Health Through Automatic Online Assessment.

9 Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. Scribner.

10 American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2017). Website title: https://aasm.org

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11. Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. Scribner.

12 Epstein, L.(2014). Harvard Health Publishing.

13 Abramson, L.Y., Alloy, L.B., & Metalsky, G.I. (1988). The cognitive diathesis stress
theories of depression: Toward an adequate evaluation of the theories’ validities. In L.B.
Alloy (Ed.), Cognitive processes in depression (pp. 3–30 ). New York: Guilford Press.

14 Hillman CH, Erickson KI, Kramer AF. Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise affects the
brain and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008 Jan;9(1):58-65.

15 Du, S., Hu, H., Cheng, K., Li, H. Exercise makes better mind : A data mining study on the
effect of physical activity on academic achievement of college students. Front psychol. 2023.

16 Oh, E. J., Blondin, C. A., Cochran, J. L., & Williams, R. L. (2011). Perceived stressors
among college students in an American and a Korean university. Korean Social Science
Journal, 38(2), 81-113.

17 Adom, Dickson & Chukwuere, Joshua & Osei, Mavis. (2020). Review: Academic Stress
among Faculty and Students in Higher Institutions. Journal of Humanities and Social
Sciences. 28. 1055-1064.

18 Travis, Justin & Kaszycki, Alyssa & Geden, Michael & Bunde, James. (2020). Some
Stress Is Good Stress: The Challenge-Hindrance Framework, Academic Self-Efficacy, and
Academic Outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology. 112.

19. Burris, J. L., Brechting, E. H., Salsman, J., & Carlson, C. R. (2009). Factors associated
with the psychological well-being and distress of university students. Journal Of American
College Health

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