Modeling Students’ Mental Health and Academic Performance In the New Normal

Abstract

The study was conducted using the descriptive-correlational method. Employing random sampling and Slovin's formula, a total of 365 undergraduate students of SPAMAST were the subjects of the study. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the socio-demographic profile, level of mental health, and academic performance of the students. Spearman correlation was utilized to investigate the relationship between the variables. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) generated the structural model that best fits mental health and academic performance. Results revealed that the respondents have positive mental health and satisfactory academic performance. Through correlational analysis, results showed that emotional, social, and psychological well-being have no significant relationship to academic performance. Further, a structural equation model that best fits mental health and academic performance revealed that social and psychological well-being positively influences academic performance. In contrast, emotional well-being has a negative influence. Moreover, it was revealed that emotional well-being was highly correlated with social and psychological well-being. At the same time, social well-being is highly correlated with psychological well-being. Hence, cultivating any of these factors will significantly enhance the other factors. The obtained best-fit model can explain 28% of the data being considered for the study.