Between GPA and Peace of Mind Academic Pressure vs Mental Health of Gen Z
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62951/ijss.v2i4.539Keywords:
GPA, Mental Health, Pressure, Gen Z, studentsAbstract
Generation Z students face increasingly complex academic challenges within the competitive higher education ecosystem. The pressure to maintain academic performance, social expectations, and intense digital exposure contribute to rising mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and burnout. This study aims to analyze the relationship between academic pressure and the psychological condition of Gen Z students using a quantitative-descriptive approach through an online survey. The research instrument adapted the Academic Stress Scale (ASS) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The results show that the majority of respondents experience significant academic pressure, which correlates positively with symptoms of stress and anxiety. These findings highlight the importance of educational system reform that not only emphasizes academic performance but also supports students' mental well-being. Higher education institutions are expected to provide safe spaces, reliable counseling services, and more empathetic teaching approaches in response to the mental health issues facing this generation.
Downloads
References
Al-Qaisy, R. A. (2011). The relationship between academic stress and anxiety among university students in Jordan. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(10), 104–110.
Ang, S. Y., Huan, V. S., Quek, C. L., & Earn, L. T. L. (2021). The role of resilience in moderating the relationship between academic stress and psychological well-being among university students. Current Psychology, 40(6), 2840–2849.
Arnett, J. J. (2015). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Ariani, D. S. (2022). Academic pressure in Indonesian higher education: A review of systemic issues and student well-being. Journal of Educational Psychology, 43(2), 115–129.
Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., & Clarahan, M. (2015). The influence of college students’ academic stress on mental health. Journal of College Student Development, 56(7), 745–760. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2015.0074
Clabaugh, A. L., Mitchell, S. K., & Vang, S. S. (2021). Online learning and academic stress: A study of university students post-pandemic. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 24(4), 45–58.
Dasein, L. (n.d.). Global youth and mental health: Trends and projections. World Health Organization. Retrieved May 12, 2025, from https://www.who.int/mental-health/youth
Deb, S., Strodl, E., & Sun, J. (2015). Academic stress, parental pressure, anxiety, and mental health among Indian students. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 61(1), 66–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764014552051
Dikec, G., & Erdem, M. (2023). The perceptions of Generation Z university students about their futures: A qualitative study. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies, 11(1), 47–55.
Eisenberg, D., Gollust, S. E., Golberstein, E., & Hefner, J. L. (2012). Prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among university students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 82(4), 479–489. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.2012.01125.x
Huang, C. (2017). Upward social comparison on social media: Implications for social anxiety and self-esteem. Social Media + Society, 3(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305117706078
Joseph, M. A., & Sudheesh, K. (2023). The influence of peer pressure and academic stress on self-regulation among university students. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 6(2), 45–52.
Kohn, P. M., & Frazer, R. L. (1986). The Academic Stress Scale: A new scale for measuring stress in college students. Journal of College Student Development, 27(2), 123–129.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer Publishing Company.
Luthar, S. S., & Kumar, N. L. (2018). The price of perfection: Understanding how pressures in academia contribute to student mental health. Journal of Educational Psychology, 34(3), 201–212. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000304
MacGeorge, E. L., Samter, W., & Gillihan, S. J. (2005). Academic stress, supportive communication, and health. Communication Education, 54(4), 365–372.
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205
Montag, C., Sha, P., & Diefenbach, S. (2021). Digital fatigue: A conceptual and empirical review. Computers in Human Behavior, 115, 106601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106601
Ramachandiran, C. R., & Dhanapal, S. (2018). Academic stress among university students: A quantitative study. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 26(3), 2013–2026.
Rickwood, D., Deane, F. P., & Wilson, C. (2005). When and how do young people seek professional help for mental health problems? Medical Journal of Australia, 183(10), S35–S39.
Selingo, J. (2023, July 14). Why does Gen Z seem so vulnerable to stress, anxiety and trauma? Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com
Shankar, A., & Park, Y. (2016). Perfectionism in higher education: Effects of academic pressure and coping strategies. Journal of Education and Learning, 10(3), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v10n3p45
Smith, A., & Nichols, T. (2015). Understanding the millennial generation. College Student Journal, 49(1), 64–78.
Son, C., Hegde, S., Smith, A., Wang, X., & Sasangohar, F. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 on college students’ mental health in the United States: A longitudinal study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(3), e21245. https://doi.org/10.2196/21245
Tang, K. H., & Ferguson, S. (2022). The impact of academic stress on mental health among university students: A longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(1), 15–29.
Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy—and completely unprepared for adulthood. Atria Books.
Vogel, E. A., Rose, J. P., Roberts, L. D., & Eckles, K. (2014). Social comparison, social media, and self-esteem. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 3(4), 206–222. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000047
World Health Organization. (2021). Mental health and academic performance: Rebuilding resilience after COVID-19. Retrieved May 12, 2025, from https://www.who.int/mental-health/academic-performance
Zhang, X., & Ma, Q. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on mental health among students: A review. Journal of Psychology and Education, 29(4), 51–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/10802030.2020.1824801
Zajacova, A., Lynch, S. M., & Espenshade, T. J. (2005). Self-efficacy, stress, and academic success in college. Research in Higher Education, 46(6), 677–706.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Social Science and Humanity
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
