RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESILIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

Background: The transition into college represents a critical developmental phase often accompanied by emotional, academic, and social challenges. Psychological well-being and resilience serve as crucial protective factors that help students navigate this stressful period. In countries like Pakistan, where academic pressure and sociocultural expectations are particularly high, understanding the interaction between these two psychological constructs is vital for mental health promotion in youth.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between resilience and psychological well-being among college students in Pakistan, and to assess how age, gender, and socioeconomic status influence these variables.

Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 250 college students aged 15 to 23 years from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale were employed to assess resilience and psychological well-being, respectively. Descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests for normality, Spearman’s rho correlation, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for analysis in SPSS version 25.

Results: The mean psychological well-being score was 117.86 (SD = 6.67), while the mean resilience score was 20.89 (SD = 4.13). The Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient of 0.079 indicated a weak positive relationship between the two variables. Male students scored higher on both resilience (Mean rank = 146.47) and psychological well-being (Mean rank = 136.51) compared to females. Significant differences in resilience were found across age groups (χ² = 14.87, p = 0.001) and socioeconomic classes (χ² = 7.26, p = 0.02), but not in psychological well-being.

Conclusion: Resilience was modestly associated with psychological well-being, with variations across demographic subgroups. The findings underscore the need for targeted mental health programs focused on enhancing resilience among college students.