Psychological Well-Being Among Higher Education Students
Summary
Psychological well-being in higher education encompasses the interplay of emotional, cognitive and social factors that enable students to thrive academically and personally. Core dimensions include positive affect, life satisfaction and a sense of purpose, while risk factors span depression, anxiety and perceived stress. Transitions into tertiary study, financial pressures, academic workload and social isolation can erode well-being, yet individual traits such as resilience, self-efficacy and adaptive coping strategies often buffer against distress. Universities worldwide have responded by expanding counselling services, embedding peer-support schemes and promoting lifestyle interventions—particularly physical activity and balanced nutrition—to foster healthy routines. Digital mental-health platforms, mindfulness training and curricula that emphasise emotional literacy are emerging as scalable approaches. At a systemic level, policies that address financial hardship, work–study balance and inclusive campus environments are critical to reduce inequities in access and outcomes. As research increasingly adopts longitudinal and mixed-methods designs, it becomes possible to trace how early interventions and institutional practices influence trajectories of well-being, academic performance and post-graduate adjustment. This field thus occupies a pivotal role in public health, educational policy and student success strategies.
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Psychological Well-Being Among Higher Education Students publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in psychological well-being among higher education students across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Psychological distress: A state characterised by symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress that impair daily functioning and subjective well-being.
Resilience: The capacity to adapt positively to adversity, stress or change by mobilising personal and external resources.
Defensive pessimism: A cognitive strategy in which individuals set low expectations and mentally rehearse potential problems to prepare for challenging situations.
Coping strategies: Behavioural and cognitive efforts—such as problem-solving, seeking social support or avoidance—employed to manage internal and external stressors.
Subjective well-being: An individual’s self-evaluated experience of happiness, life satisfaction and emotional balance.
References
- Physical activity habits prevent psychological distress in female academic students: The multiple mediating role of physical and psychosocial parameters. Heliyon (2024).
- Untangling the role of optimism, pessimism and coping influences on student mood, motivation and satisfaction. Innovations in Education and Teaching International (2023).
- Comparing the mental health of Australian university students with that of young people who are not in higher education. Higher Education (2025).
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