Academic Stress and Mental Health among College Students in Bokaro Steel City

Abstract

The present study investigated the impact of academic stress on mental health among college-going students in Bokaro Steel City, Jharkhand. The study also examined the influence of gender and place of residence on academic stress and mental health. A total of 80 college students were selected through purposive sampling, comprising male and female students from both urban and rural areas. Academic stress was assessed using the Academic Stress Scale (Kaur, 2004), while mental health was measured using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) developed by Goldberg (1978). The collected data were analyzed using the t-test and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. The findings revealed significant gender differences in academic stress and mental health, with female students reporting higher levels of academic stress and psychological distress than male students. Significant differences were also observed between urban and rural students, as rural students exhibited higher academic stress and poorer mental health outcomes. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between academic stress and psychological distress (r = 0.68, p < .01), indicating that increased academic stress is associated with poorer mental health. The study highlights the need for effective stress-management strategies, counseling services, and mental health support programs within higher educational institutions to enhance students’ psychological well-being and academic adjustment.